Judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal on 25th of March, 2026 The respondent, a foreign national, pleaded guilty in the Subordinate Court to making a false statement to an immigration officer and engaging in business without a permit. He was fined on both counts, and the court further ordered forfeiture of USD 21,330. Dissatisfied, he appealed to the High Court against the forfeiture order, but the High Court invoked its revisionary jurisdiction and set aside the forfeiture on grounds not raised by the parties. On appeal by the state, the Court of Appeal found that the High Court erred in law by exercising revisionary powers in a matter properly before it on appeal. Under Section 338(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code, the High Court is prohibited from exercising revisionary jurisdiction where a convicted person has already appealed, unless the appeal is withdrawn. By introducing and determining an issue outside the grounds of appeal without hearing the parties, the High

Lusaka | April 20, 26 – On the April 16, 2026, the Lusaka Subordinate Court convicted Elias Zulu and Davies Kawala for the offence of rape. The matter was presided over by Honourable Mwanfuli and prosecuted by Mrs. Monde Muyoba-Chizongo. The convicts were represented by the Legal Aid Board. The Court heard that the two convicts were entrusted with the responsibility of escorting an 18-year-old victim home at around 21:00 hours, after her friend requested that they ensure her safe arrival. Instead of fulfilling this duty of care, the accused persons took turns sexually assaulting the victim. The incident was reported the following day, and medical examination confirmed that the victim had been sexually assaulted. As a result of the assault, the victim became pregnant. After considering the evidence, the Court found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted both accused persons. The matter has since been committed to the High Court for sentencing. Under

Lusaka | April 18, 2026 – The National Prosecution Authority (NPA) of Zambia has with immense pride welcomed the swearing‑in of Honourable Justice Flavia Malata Chishimba as a Judge of the Southern African Development Community Administrative Tribunal (SADCAT). Justice Chishimba was sworn in on April 17, 2026 during an Extraordinary Session of the Tribunal, presided over by the Tribunal President, Honourable Judge Adelino Fernando Costa Muhongo of Angola. Her appointment was approved by the SADC Council of Ministers in August 2024 in Harare, Zimbabwe. The NPA notes that Justice Chishimba’s rise to the regional bench is an evidence of her dedication to justice, integrity, and the rule of law, values that the NPA holds dear. Her extensive and illustrious legal career has equipped her to excel in adjudicating employment and administrative disputes within SADC institutions. SADCAT plays a vital role in promoting fairness, accountability, and administrative justice across the SADC region. The Tribunal is composed of distinguished judges from member

Lusaka | April 16, 2026 – It was not the usual quiet afternoon at the National Prosecution Authority (NPA). A delegation from Kenya’s Financial Reporting Centre (FRC) walked in, not as tourists, but as students of Zambia’s financial intelligence and prosecution machinery. Zambia may not shout out loud about her progress. But when a neighbour like Kenya, a regional leader in financial intelligence with a sophisticated financial reporting centre of its own, sends a team to learn from you, the message is clear – something right is happening here. The delegation, led by Kenya’s Financial Reporting Centre (FRC) Director General Ms. Saitoti Maika, MBS, has spent the week crisscrossing Lusaka. Their host and delegation leader of the benchmarking team on the Zambian side was Mr. Diphat Tembo, a prominent anti-money laundering expert and Director of the Compliance and Prevention Department at the Financial Intelligence Centre. Mr. Tembo personally guided the delegation through meetings with the FIC, Zambia Revenue Authority, Drug

Lusaka | April 16, 2026 – The case of six accused persons charged with the illegal possession of 94 pieces of elephant ivory weighing over 470 kilograms returned to the Lusaka Magistrates Court today.At the last sitting, the court heard bail applications from Gift Miyanda, Mark Mukanya, Babou Awazi Selemani, Malikiso Inambao, and Webster Muzyamba, then adjourned to consider. This morning, it returned with a decision, one that decided where the six will sleep tonight, and for all the nights until their case is finally resolved.The court declined to grant bail and decided that for five of the accused persons, the remand facility would be their fixed abode until their case is finally disposed of.The reasons were clear. First, the accused persons did not demonstrate that they were of fixed abode. Nothing was attached to their affidavits to confirm their residence. Second, Babou Awazi Selemani, the fourth accused, stated that he lived in Matero but failed to provide a house

The courtroom fell into that familiar, measured stillness as the magistrate delivered a ruling that shifts the course of the trial without yet deciding its end.In the matter involving John Nundwe aka John General, the court has found that the prosecution has established a prima facie case, sufficient, at this stage, to require John General to defend himself.Had the evidence fallen short, the law would have demanded his immediate acquittal.It did not.Instead, the court has called upon the accused to respond.This finding follows the close of the prosecution’s case, which included both factual and expert testimony placed before the court.A ruling of “case to answer” does not determine guilt. It marks a threshold, one that separates speculation from a case that must now be tested by the defence.John Nundwe now stands at a procedural crossroads, with three clear options before him:• To give sworn evidence, taking the witness stand under oath and subjecting himself to cross-examination;• To make an unsworn

Livingstone | March 7, 2026 – Zambia’s legal fraternity gathered in Livingstone this morning for what His Lordship Dr. Mumba Malila, SC, described as more than a conference but a moment of renewal. Opening the Bar-Bench Conference, the Chief Justice urged judges and lawyers to reconnect not as adversaries across the courtroom divide, but as colleagues bound by a shared duty to uphold justice. “We must be agreed that securing a safer and improved future for both legs of the legal profession is best done in the constant realisation that we have a common interest, namely, to let justice be done though the heavens fall.” Anchoring his remarks on the theme “A Future-Ready Justice System: Safeguarding Judicial Independence and Ethical Practice in a Changing Legal Landscape,” His Lordship, Chief Justice Malila called for a decisive shift from words to action. Judicial independence, he stressed, is not an abstract ideal, it is the very foundation of the rule of law and

Choma | April 1, 2026 – As March, the month dedicated to celebrating women, drew to a close, the National Prosecution Authority’s Southern Province team decided to mark it in a meaningful way. Their mission was simple yet heartfelt: to give back to women and remind them that they truly matter. Through the Choma office, the province extended a hand of kindness to the maternity wing of Railway Surgery Clinic, donating cleaning materials and blankets to support mothers and newborns at one of the community’s key health facilities. The gesture was more than just a donation, it was a reflection of the NPA’s commitment to standing with women, not only in the pursuit of justice but also in the everyday moments that affirm their dignity and worth. For the new mothers who received the items, the visit brought both practical support and a warm reminder that their communities are behind them. As the team left the clinic, there was a

Lusaka | March 31, 2026 – Chief Resident Magistrate Ireen Wishimanga has convicted former Kasama Member of Parliament Kelvin Mutale Sampa in the Lusaka Subordinate Court on charges of theft by agent and forgery-related offences. Sampa stood trial on four counts which were two counts of theft by agent, contrary to Section 280(b) of the Penal Code, one count of illegal possession of forged bank notes contrary to section 358 of the Penal Code, and one count of possession of paper or implements for forgery, contrary to Section 351(a) of the Penal Code. The prosecution called six witnesses, including two Japanese nationals, Kunihiro Fujishima and Satoshi Sakamoto. The case was prosecuted by Senior Public Prosecutor, Mr. Aaron Tuntuluka. The brief facts of the case are that between July 17, 2024 and September 30, 2024, Sampa was entrusted with US$70,000 and US$80,000 by two Japanese nationals for the purpose of purchasing gold on their behalf. He promised them that he would

Lusaka | March 30, 2026 – In one of the first major tests for the National Prosecution Authority’s newly established Environmental and Wildlife Crimes Department, six accused persons have denied charges of illegal possession of 94 pieces of elephant ivory weighing a staggering 471.8 kilograms, with an estimated value of K2.64 million. Gift Miyanda, Mugundumu Miyanda, Mark Mukanya, Babou Awazi Selemani, Malikiso Inambao, and Webster Muzyamba appeared before Her Honour Resident Magistrate Mungala at the Lusaka Magistrates Court, each pleading not guilty to the charge under Section 130(2)(a) of the Zambia Wildlife Act. The case, being prosecuted by Senior State Advocate Laika Zunduna and State Advocate Lester Syamasonta from the newly formed department, marks a significant step in the NPA’s focused drive to combat environmental crimes with dedicated prosecutorial firepower. On March 9, 2026, officers from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) acted on intelligence that led them to a property in Lilayi’s Chandamali compound. A search uncovered