Lusaka | July 16, 2026 – Zambia has become a reference point for justice reform on the continent after the Uganda Law Reform Commission (ULRC) chose Lusaka for a high-level benchmarking visit on the review of Uganda’s Identification of Offenders Act.A delegation from Uganda, led by Rtd. Hon. Justice Billy Kainamura, Commissioner of the Uganda Law Reform Commission, is in the country to understudy Zambia’s experience in offender identification, forensic science, and prosecution-led investigations. He was accompanied by the ULRC Secretary, Ms. Jeroline Akubu; Ag. Assistant Inspector General of Police Mr. Andrew Mubiru, who also serves as Director of Forensic Services in the Uganda Police Force; and other legal and research officers from the Commission.Ms. Akubu provided an overview of the ULRC’s constitutional mandate under Article 248(1) of the Ugandan Constitution, highlighting the Commission’s work in reviewing, modernising, and simplifying legislation including translating key laws into local languages and accessible formats such as Braille to enhance public legal awareness. She

Livingstone | July 15, 2026 – With the country inching closer to the polls, prosecutors and police investigators yesterday, Tuesday July 14, 2026, locked themselves in a day-long tactical session designed to fortify the frontlines of electoral justice. The National Prosecution Authority’s Livingstone team, led by Senior State Advocate Mr. Victor Choongo and State Advocate Mr. Malama Mataka, convened an interactive training with the Zambia Police Service yesterday, zeroing in on the investigation of electoral offences. But beneath the technical discussions on evidence gathering and case preparation lay a sharper, more urgent focus: protecting women from electoral violence and ensuring that perpetrators face the full weight of the law. The session, titled “The Investigation of Electoral Offences,” was not a lecture. It was a working clinic with prosecutors and investigators sitting shoulder to shoulder, dissecting case files, interrogating past failures, and mapping out a playbook for the weeks ahead. The objective was simple but ambitious to equip officers on the

Lusaka | July 13, 2026 – The Lusaka High Court has dismissed a renewed application for bail pending trial by Xavier Franklin Chikonkolo Chunga, a Presidential candidate facing charges under the State Security Act and Penal Code. In a ruling delivered on July 10, 2026, High Court Judge, Honourable Mr. Justice L. Mwale, held that the Learned Director of Public Prosecutions’ Certificate of Denial of Bail, issued under Section 123(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code, Chapter 88 of the Laws of Zambia, leaves the Court with no discretion to admit the Applicant to bail. Mr. Chunga’s legal troubles began after he appeared on a pre-recorded popular tell-all podcast known as the ThatZed Podcast, on May 24, 2026. The Episode was scheduled to air days later. During the interview, he allegedly disclosed confidential information obtained through his official duties, a move that has proved costly. On May 28, 2026, he was arrested and charged with seven counts of Communication of Certain

Lusaka | July 10, 2026 – The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has issued a bench warrant directing the Zambia Police Service to apprehend and produce former Nkana Member of Parliament Binwell Mpundu before the court after he failed to attend scheduled proceedings in a matter in which he is charged with seditious practices. The order was issued by Magistrate Webster Milumbe, who directed that Mr. Mpundu be brought before the court on July 20, 2026 to explain his absence. A bench warrant is a court order authorising law enforcement officers to arrest and bring a person before the court after that individual fails to appear as required. It is issued to enforce compliance with court proceedings and to ensure that the administration of justice is not hindered by an unexplained failure to attend court. The matter has been adjourned to July 20. 2026, when Mr. Mpundu is expected to appear before the court. Mr. Mpundu is facing one count of seditious

Luwingu | 10 July 2026 – The National Prosecution Authority (NPA) has taken a significant step towards expanding access to justice by formally applying for land from the Luwingu Town Council to establish its first permanent district offices in Luwingu.The application was presented by the Deputy Chief State Advocate for Northern Province, Mr. Samuel Simwaka, during a courtesy visit to the Council Secretary, Mr. Gift Kakoma. The proposed offices form part of the Authority’s broader decentralisation agenda aimed at bringing prosecution services closer to communities and strengthening the delivery of justice across Zambia. Mr. Simwaka said establishing a permanent NPA presence in Luwingu would significantly improve the efficiency of criminal prosecutions, reduce delays in the administration of justice, and eliminate the burden placed on members of the public who have long travelled considerable distances to access prosecution services. “For far too long, residents of Luwingu have had to travel long distances to access prosecution services. Establishing a permanent office here

Kasama District, Northern Province | July 10, 2026 – The Learned Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mr. Gilbert A. Phiri, SC, yesterday paid a courtesy call on the Northern Province Commissioner of Police at the Zambia Police Service Headquarters in Kasama, restating the National Prosecution Authority’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with one of its key criminal justice partners. The Director of Public Prosecutions was accompanied by Deputy Chief State Advocate Ms. Makumba Gwendoline Kashishi from the Office of the DPP (ODPP) and Deputy Chief State Advocate for Northern Province Mr. Samuel Simwaka. The meeting provided an important opportunity for the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) and the Zambia Police Service to deepen institutional cooperation and discuss matters of mutual interest relating to the effective administration of criminal justice, particularly in light of forthcoming national electoral activities. Discussions focused on enhancing collaboration in criminal investigations, improving the timely submission of police dockets, strengthening case management and reinforcing coordination between investigators and prosecutors

Lusaka | July 8, 2026 – “The proceeds of crime must no longer find safe harbour in Zambia.” That was the rallying cry from the Learned Director of Public Prosecutions Gilbert A. Phiri, SC, as he launched a Financial Investigations and Asset Recovery pilot training programme in Lusaka today, a five-week course designed to ensure that illicit wealth is stripped from offenders and returned to society. Speaking at the launch ceremony held at SAIPAR, the Learned DPP declared that the initiative marks a significant escalation in Zambia’s fight against corruption, money laundering, fraud, tax evasion, wildlife crime, and cyber-enabled offences. The programme brings together 25 participants from 15 institutions, including the Anti-Corruption Commission, Drug Enforcement Commission, Zambia Police Service, Financial Intelligence Centre, Zambia Revenue Authority, Immigration Department, Bank of Zambia, Securities and Exchange Commission, Pensions and Insurance Authority, Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Forestry Department, Cyber Security Agency, and the National Anti-Terrorism Centre. “Financial crime has evolved considerably over

Kasama, Northern Province | July 9. 2026 – The dusty streets of Kasama bore witness to more than just the usual hustle of provincial life today. In a modest but significant ceremony, the Learned Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Gilbert A. Phiri, SC, officially opened the newly renovated National Prosecution Authority offices in the heart of the Northern Province, a move that signals a deliberate shift in the Authority’s resolve to take justice closer to the people. Accompanied by Deputy Chief State Advocate in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Ms. Makumba Gwendoline Kashishi and state advocate from the ODPP, Ms. Ruth Mwangulukulu, the DPP toured the refurbished premises, which now stand as proof of the Authority’s commitment to creating a working environment that matches the gravity of the work being done within its walls. The renovation, which has been in the works for some months, is part of a broader push to equip State Advocates, Prosecutors,

Lusaka | July 8, 2026 – There is a quiet gravity that settles over a room when the words of an oath are spoken. This afternoon, that gravity filled the Office of the Learned Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) as three newly appointed senior officers raised their right hands and pledged themselves to the Republic. Mr. Mahape Gabriel Libakeni, now Deputy Chief State Advocate for Eastern Province. Mrs. Beene Shadunka-Siyumbwa, Director of Human Resources and Administration. Dr. Charles Daka, Assistant Director, Administration. One by one, they stood before the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Gilbert A. Phiri, SC, and spoke the words that would mark the formal beginning of their service. The Oath of Office, prescribed under the Seventh Schedule of the Official Oaths Act, calls them to faithfully and diligently discharge their duties, to perform their functions under the Constitution, and to well and truly serve the Republic. Then came the Oath of Secrecy, a solemn bond that binds

Lusaka | July 1, 2026 – The Gender-Based Crime and Child Protection Department of the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) yesterday traded the formal confines of the courtroom for the corridors of lived reality, joining the Zambia Association of Women Judges and other key stakeholders at Kamwala Transit Centre to mark the Day of the African Child. Deputy Chief State Advocate, Mrs. Margaret Kapambwe-Chitundu, head of the GBCCP Department, together with advocates from the department, were present as the Judiciary, correctional services, civil society, and, most importantly, the children themselves came together to commemorate this special occasion. Presiding over the event, Hon. Lady Justice Mwamba Chanda-Mate, Judge-in-Charge of the Family and Children’s Court Division, described the commemoration as “not merely a ceremonial occasion” but a moment for “reflection, accountability and renewed commitment” to children’s rights and welfare under this year’s theme: “Ensuring Universal Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Every Child in Africa.” The event drew a wide coalition including