Lusaka | February 6, 2026 – The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has dismissed an application for bail pending appeal by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Malanji, ruling that he remains in lawful custody as his appeal against conviction and sentence proceeds. Mr. Malanji was convicted in September 2025 on seven counts of possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime, contrary to section 71 of the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act No. 19 of 2010, and sentenced to four years’ imprisonment with hard labour. In support of the application, Counsel fir the Applicant argued that the intended appeal raised arguable points with reasonable prospects of success and further contended that there was a risk the Applicant could serve a substantial portion, or the entirety, of his sentence before the appeal is determined. The application also cited concerns relating to the timing of the delivery of judgment and the evaluation of evidence at trial. The State opposed the

Lusaka | February 5, 2026 – The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) team leading the Advanced Financial Investigations Training in Zambia’s minerals sector, alongside a three-day workshop to develop the country’s first comprehensive international asset recovery guidelines, paid a courtesy call on the Learned Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mr. Gilbert A. Phiri, SC, today.The delegation was led by Ms. Margaret Kapambwe-Chitundu, President of the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network for Southern Africa (ARINSA) and Head of the National Prosecution Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Department. The delegation included Ms. Inneke Geyskens-Borgions, UNODC AML/CFT Adviser based in Brussels, Ms. Lindy Muzila, UNODC Regional Project Coordinator and the ARINSA Secretariat team.During the meeting, Ms. Muzila updated the DPP on progress in drafting the asset recovery guidelines which workshop ended this afternoon. She also provided an overview of the ongoing Financial Investigations training, which concludes tomorrow. The discussions highlighted the collaborative effort to strengthen Zambia’s capacity to investigate, trace, and recover illicit

Lusaka | February 3, 2026 – The National Prosecutions Authority (NPA) and the Human Rights Commission (HRC) have established a critical action plan to address systemic delays in Zambia’s criminal justice system that contribute to prolonged pre-trial detention and court congestion. The agreement was forged during a strategic meeting on Monday, February 2, 2026, when a senior delegation from the Human Rights Commission, led by Chairperson Dr. Pamela Sambo, paid a courtesy call on the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Gilbert A. Phiri, SC. The Commission’s delegation included Director-General Mbololwa Wamunyima, Vice-Chairperson Dr. Felicity Kayumba-Kalunga, and several key Commissioners, among them Ms. Laura Miti, Father Joe Komakoma, and Bishop Emmanuel Yona Chikoya. The HRC outlined key concerns from its monitoring, noting that delays in bringing accused persons to court, frequent adjournments, and the submission of incomplete investigation dockets undermine the constitutional right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time. These holdups create a cascading effect, overburdening police cells and

Lusaka | February 4, 2026 – The United Nations Resident Coordinator for Zambia, Ms. Beatrice Mutali, has highlighted the United Nations’ full backing for an innovative initiative to develop Zambia’s first comprehensive guide for international asset recovery. Her statement was delivered at the opening of a high-level, three-day workshop, which commenced on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka. Ms. Mutali framed the effort as essential for strengthening governance, upholding the rule of law, and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. She emphasised that empowering institutions to trace and repatriate stolen wealth protects national resources and meets key international commitments. The workshop is being funded by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network of Southern Africa (ARINSA). ARINSA’s newly inaugurated president, Ms. Margaret Kapambwe-Chitundu, used her opening platform to outline a key presidential objective of her tenure which is to implement similar national guidelines throughout the region, strengthening a coordinated

Solwezi | January 30, 2026 – The Secretariat of the Inter-Agency Coordination and Cooperation Framework is conducting a high-stakes operational mission in Solwezi, North-Western Province, with key meetings scheduled through to today. The team is gathering critical intelligence to combat sophisticated criminal networks exploiting the region’s resources and undermining the justice system. The mission, led by Deputy Chief State Advocate in charge of the Asset Forfeiture Department at the National Prosecution Authority, who is also head of the Secretariat, Ms. Margaret Kapambwe-Chitundu, began with a strategic meeting with the Permanent Secretary for North-Western Province, Colonel Grandson Katambi. Colonel Katambi provided a detailed briefing on organised crime, citing the exploitation of vulnerable children as proxies by criminal syndicates exploiting legal protections that shield minors from significant consequences while the masterminds remain free. He further highlighted cross-border timber trafficking, noting that Angolan timber is being fraudulently stamped as Zambian for export. A temporary suspension of all timber harvesting was recommended. Regarding illegal

Mpika | January 2026 – Can a drug cartridge, medical records, and a neighbour’s word secure a conviction? On February 9, 2026, the Mpika Subordinate Court will decide, delivering a much anticipated ruling on the NPA’s “victimless prosecution” strategy in a case where the victim disappeared and her family sought to withdraw charges. The case directly mirrors the recent directive of the learned Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mr. Gilbert A. Phiri SC, who has declared a zero-tolerance stance on the withdrawal of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases, emphasising evidence-based prosecutions that proceed even without victim testimony. Violet Katongo and Dorcus Chikwanda face one count of supplying drugs to procure an abortion, contrary to Section 153 of the Penal Code, chapter 87 of the Laws, in a matter being heard before Honourable Magistrate Andrew Longa Kasongo. The State alleges that the minor was impregnated by the son and brother of the accused, respectively. After the victim’s mother attempted to withdraw the

Lusaka | January 28, 2026 – The Lusaka Magistrate’s Court has convicted and fined businessman Harry Findlay a total of ZMW 240,000 for two separate immigration-related offences flatly rejecting his legal team’s fervent plea for acquittal in a high-profile immigration fraud case. Findlay faces four (4) and six (6) months simple imprisonment respectively should he fail to pay the fine.The first charge was for Holding more than one passport, contrary to Section 22(1) as read together with Section 22(2) of the Passport Act of Zambia, specifically acquiring passport ZP021382 on March 14, 2014, after claiming to have lost passport ZP013259.The second, more severe charge, possessing a passport with a forged Mwami Border Control immigration endorsement dated October 3, 2022. This offence contravenes Section 52(4)(e) as read together with Section 56(1) of the Immigration and Deportation Act No. 18 of 2010.Throughout the trial, Findlay’s defence, led by Milner & Paul Legal Practitioners and D. Findlay & Associates, maintained a strong position

Lusaka | January, 2026 – The National Prosecution Authority (NPA) commenced the new year with a week-long, focused and forward-looking Senior Management meeting held at the Road Transport and Safety Agency training Centre in Avondale, Lusaka. This first quarterly gathering of 2026 served a dual purpose which is to conduct a comprehensive review of the performance and achievements of the final quarter of 2025 and to strategically plan and prioritise key objectives for the year ahead. Presided over by the learned Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mr. Gilbert A. Phiri, the meeting brought together the Authority’s core leadership, including Deputy Chief State Advocates and Principal State Advocates from all the provinces and specialised departments as well as managers of units within the NPA. The agenda reflected a commitment to the continued strengthening of prosecutorial systems through accountability, operational excellence, and enhanced service delivery. NPA Senior Management meets quarterly, according to the NPA’s established governance framework. These regular sessions are a

Lusaka | January 23, 2026 – The state closed its case in the John Nundwe trial yesterday with a final witness whose testimony aimed to dismantle deep-seated societal myths about sexual assault victims. Dr. Naeem Dalal, a mental health specialist, provided the court with a scientific explanation for a victim’s potential lack of physical resistance, a point often scrutinised in such cases. Dr. Dalal informed the court that the common assumption that a victim will always fight back is medically unfounded. He detailed the three instinctive, biological responses to extreme trauma: fight, flight, or freeze. His testimony focused extensively on the freeze response, describing a specific phenomenon known as tonic immobility. This involuntary state, he explained, is a primal survival mechanism where the body becomes paralyzed, essentially playing dead in the face of an overwhelming threat. The psychiatrist further clarified that this frozen state can impact a victim’s memory of the traumatic event and may result in a lack of

Ndola | January 19, 2026 – A major tax fraud scheme has been dismantled in court, resulting in a multimillion-kwacha recovery order for the state. The Economic and Financial Crimes Court in Ndola has convicted United Chemicals Zambia Limited (UCZ) for fabricating a K19 million export operation to evade taxes. Court records show the company systematically filed false documents with the Zambia Revenue Authority between July 2022 and March 2023. The documents falsely declared that multiple consignments of cooking oil were exported by road to the Democratic Republic of Congo. This fabricated export narrative was designed to fraudulently claim zero-rated VAT status on over K19.1 million in sales, illegally depriving the treasury of K10.7 million. When confronted with the evidence, UCZ entered a guilty plea to eight counts of Furnishing False Returns and Statements before Honorable Tamara Kakusa on January 19, 2026. The court’s sentencing, detailed in the judgment, went beyond a simple fine. Honorable Kakusa imposed a K40,000 penalty