Keypoints:
- Banda charged over disputed ZRA Hilux
- Archbishop pleads not guilty in Lusaka
- Case unfolds amid post-election tensions
ZAMBIA’S authorities have charged Lusaka Catholic Archbishop Alick Banda over a Toyota Hilux allegedly obtained unlawfully from the country’s revenue authority, putting one of the country’s most senior clerics at the centre of a closely watched criminal case.
Banda pleaded not guilty in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court after the Drug Enforcement Commission, or DEC, charged him with possession of property reasonably believed to have been unlawfully obtained. He was later granted bail in his own recognisance.
The case is legally separate from the treason proceedings involving retired Anglican Bishop Trevor Mwamba, who was detained with opposition figures after Zambia’s August election. But with two prominent clerics caught up in unrelated criminal proceedings within weeks of the vote, the cases are drawing fresh attention to Zambia’s tense post-election climate.
Hilux at centre of case
According to the DEC, Banda is accused of possessing a blue Toyota Hilux, registration number ALF 7734, between April 22, 2021 and December 27, 2023.
The commission says the vehicle is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained from the Zambia Revenue Authority, or ZRA.
It forms part of a wider investigation into about 22 ZRA vehicles alleged to have been improperly disposed of. The charge against Banda was brought under Section 319 of Zambia’s Penal Code.
Banda has denied the allegation.
The court granted him K80,000 bail in his own recognisance and ordered him to surrender his travel documents pending the proceedings.
Case draws Catholic attention
Banda’s appearance before investigators attracted considerable attention in Lusaka, reflecting his standing within Zambia’s Catholic Church.
Ahead of his appearance, police warned against unauthorised gatherings and processions around the DEC offices, saying only his lawyers and others directly connected with the case would be allowed to accompany him.
The Catholic Church has long been an influential voice in Zambia’s public life, regularly speaking on governance, elections and social justice. That history inevitably gives a criminal case involving the Archbishop of Lusaka significance beyond the dispute over a single vehicle.
Mwamba case remains separate
Banda’s prosecution comes weeks after retired Anglican Bishop Trevor Mwamba was detained following the August election.
Mwamba, a former Bishop of Botswana and a Zambian national who now leads the United National Independence Party, was later charged with treason.
The Anglican Church of Southern Africa expressed concern about his detention, while the UK government said its High Commission in Lusaka had been following the case and had stressed the importance of transparency and due process in its engagements with the Zambian authorities.
There is no evidence that Mwamba’s case and the proceedings against Banda are legally connected.
Their proximity nevertheless means Zambia now has two prominent Christian figures before the courts at a politically sensitive moment.
Election fallout keeps scrutiny high
The wider backdrop is Zambia’s August 13 general election, which returned President Hakainde Hichilema for a second term.
The European Union Election Observation Mission said voting was generally calm and competitive, but found that restrictions on campaigning and advantages associated with incumbency had contributed to an uneven playing field.
The mission also reported serious incidents and procedural irregularities during counting and tabulation that affected the transparency and credibility of the process.
The post-election period has also been marked by arrests and criminal cases involving opposition figures.
Against that background, the Zambia Anglican Council has called for fair treatment of detainees and warned that arbitrary treatment, or even the perception of it, can undermine public confidence in state institutions. At the same time, the bishops urged citizens to respect lawful police instructions.
Court case now takes centre stage
For now, Banda’s case rests on a specific allegation involving a ZRA vehicle.
The prosecution will have to establish why it believes the Hilux was unlawfully obtained and how it came into the archbishop’s possession. Banda, who has pleaded not guilty, will have the opportunity to challenge that evidence in court.
The political atmosphere surrounding the case may guarantee attention, but its outcome will ultimately depend on the evidence placed before the court.
In a Zambia still dealing with the fallout from a contentious election, how transparently that process unfolds will matter well beyond the fate of one Toyota Hilux.
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