Archbishop Alick Banda pleads not guilty to vehicle charges in Zambia

Archbishop Alick Banda of Lusaka has pleaded not guilty to charges involving the possession of a vehicle suspected of being unlawfully obtained from the Zambia Revenue Authority. The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) alleges that a Toyota Hilux in Banda’s possession was improperly acquired between 2021 and 2023.

Banda, who has led the Lusaka archdiocese since 2018, was granted bail of 80,000 Zambian kwacha (approximately $4,100) by the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court. He was also ordered to surrender his travel documents pending his trial. The case is part of a broader investigation into the improper disposal of 22 vehicles belonging to the tax authority.

The arrest has drawn attention to the political climate in Zambia following the August elections. Archbishop Banda has been an outspoken critic of President Hakainde Hichilema and a supporter of the main opposition. His detention follows a series of arrests of government critics and opposition figures, raising concerns among international observers regarding the state of democracy in the country.