Former President Rupiah Banda has arrived for questioning at the Drug Enforcement Commission Headquarters.
Mr. Banda arrived in the company of his administrative assistant Mitakazo Wakumelo and several sympathizers at about 10:20 Hours.
MMD and UPND cadres sang songs of solidarity of the former Head of State.
Security is tight and the road leading to DEC offices has been sealed by armed police officers in riot gear.
Mr. Banda’s lawyer Sakwiba Sikota was the first to arrive at 10 Hours while MMD senior officials among Brian Chituwo, Kenneth Chipungu, Chembe Nyangu, Maxwell Mwale and Geoffrey Lungwangwa were denied entry into DEC offices.
And Mr. Sikota said President Michael Sata’s government is being vindictive by persecuting the former leader as part of an effort to weaken opposition parties by harassing and intimidating their leaders.
Mr. Sikota said there is a contradiction between the summons letter from the country’s anti-graft body and a statement to Parliament by Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba.
He said, “In their letter they said they want to invite Mr. Banda for interviews, in other words for purposes of investigation.
This seems to be quite different and in contradiction with what the Minister of Justice said in the house.” The Justice Minister said they had finished their investigation and that there were no further investigations to be done.”
Parliament last week lifted Banda’s immunity from criminal prosecution after the government urged the legislature to do so, claiming it will enable officials to investigate cases of corruption during the former president’s rule.
The removal of the immunity allows the government to prosecute Mr. Banda for financial impropriety he is alleged to have committed from 2008 to 2011.
let the law take it’s cause,if he is innocent then he will walk as a free man but if he is not then the law will take it’s cause period…and this will serve as an example for leaders……one zambia one nation…
This removal of immunity and prosecution has taken too long. Why is justice so much delayed in Zambia? Who doesn’t know what those crooks did in office?
Bayamba kudya bantu ku Kasama ba Bemba. They are exhuming human bodies from graves. PF your people are starving.
If Banda was Bemba, Sata would not and I repeat would NOT have removed his Immunity. This also is a case of Bemba tribalism which is running rampant in Zed. You Easterners need to wake up. You are the only ones who don’t get it yet. Sata is a Bemba tribalist and Bemba’s only supported him because they had not had a Bemba in office for long. They did not like Mwanawasa because of what he did to their Bemba thief Chiluba if this was not the case then why is Emmanuel Mwamba in PF govt today. All the other tribes on the western half of Zed is now awake to the Bemba tribalism that is going on. Only Chewas, Ngoni’s, Nsenga’s, Tumbuuka’s and other Easterners are still asleep. When they wake up, there will be trouble for Bemba’s just watch this Space. So wake up my Ngoni brothers. Wake…
@ The Bricklayer – the fact is that Easterners WILL NEVER WAKE UP! That is just the type of people they are. They have been like that, very sub-servient. If you recall when RB was president he used to kneel in front of Sata and pretend to joke around using chimbuya EVEN when it was clear that Sata was not joking in his insults and was not interested in chimbuya. Actually, RB deserves what he is going through because he was at times an ***** while he was in office: he let down everybody who liked him genuinely and instead bootlicked those that hated him to the bone…that is what Easterners are like. Bembas hated RB so much that they voted against him and were joined by other tribes who initially liked him but were later disappointed by him. I wonder what is going through his mind now!
M’misiri,
You do not have to tell us what to do.
We are our own people and are not tribalists.
Kindly do not show us tribalism which does not exist, and keep tribal hate to yourself and others like you.
GUNDIXY, are you blind and deaf? If you are from the east then you are just confirming what 1.2 above is saying! You are the only ones who are still sleeping bwana!
Clearly bricklayer is totally oblivious to the close traditional ties Bembas and their cousins from the East have. There is no tribal tension between these 2 groups of people.
Bricklayer, learn your social studies and civics. There are no bembas in Luapula province and the closest language similar to bemba is ushi where Chiluba hails from. I think it’s people like you that are dangerously inciting bembas to become tribal even when they have been known to live peacefully with other tribes. The lifting of immunity of wanting presidents has nothing to do with where they hailed from because mwanawasa was lamba/lenje who lifted chhiluba’s immunity who was kunda/ushi. Lets get real and stop this tribal tagging.
LELOLELO….LELOLELO…..LELOLELO…..LELOLELO……LELOLELO…….LELOLELLO….LELOLELO….LELOLELO…..LELOLELO…..LELOLELO……LELOLELO…….LELOLELLO….LELOLELO….LELOLELO…..LELOLELO…..LELOLELO……LELOLELO…….LELOLELLO….LELOLELO….LELOLELO…..LELOLELO…..LELOLELO……LELOLELO…….LELOLELLO…LELOLELO….LELOLELO…..LELOLELO…..LELOLELO……LELOLELO…….LELOLELLO…..LELOLELO….LELOLELO…..LELOLELO…..LELOLELO……LELOLELO…….LELOLELLO….LELOLELO….LELOLELO…..LELOLELO…..LELOLELO……LELOLELO…….LELOLELLO….LELOLELO….LELOLELO…..LELOLELO…..LELOLELO……LELOLELO…….LELOLELLO….LELOLELO….LELOLELO…..LELOLELO…..LELOLELO……LELOLELO…….LELOLELLO….LELOLELO….LELOLELO…..LELOLELO…..LELOLELO……LELOLELO…….LELOLELLO…
ok this is childish. this is a serious matter. we the people of Zambia demand to know the truth. its no secret that RB nicked from the national tresuary (fact). everybody was agreable to this fact before september 2011. it is now time for the law to find out from RB exact how much he stole and HOW he did it. HH,Mumba and ntwanikane who are now supporting RB are just politicking full stop!
Mugwileni uyo!
In which country are you were you are still in public, when you are a clear child molester?
1.1 & 1.2, you are dead right. Easterners are Useful *****s!
Iwe chosapo ka picture ka mwana mambala.Ndiwe peadophile?
well so why make noise over his immunity thing..? he has done the best thing to face the JGIT so that if he knows othewise then he can just tell the nation who actually stole, as a nation we are only interested in bringing the culprit to book full stop not any particular individual, I hope Dora Siliya is by now a state witness…
Whoever is against these investigations and the subsequent result must be someone who supports crime. Remember this is sending message to any would be looters.. If you are innocent RB hats off but if you are not then well give us what you put in a Singaporean bank account.
Why not bring to book Nchito & Mumembe, let alone kabimba
What if he is innocent, are you going to restore his immunity? Lifting of a President’s immunity should not be a casual matter. It is only supposed to be done when the government has a solid case of wrong doing. Immunity should not be lifted when government is just fishing for a case.
insanity is doing the same thing over and expecting different results. Clearly FTJ’s cases did not deter ‘would be looters’ as you put it. PF would be wise to focus on strengthening controls to avoid this from happening. Mind you the current president has also made himself vulnerable by moving certain institutions such as RDA to state house under his total control, Who’s to say he’s not influencing tenders? This could turn out to be a vicious cycle.
Tulelya nokwibukisha bane… There is even a song to that effect. Meantime, Sakwiba’s assertion is questionable because as far as we know, Mumba is now the “leader of MMD”. He is now a beneficiary of nolle prosquis which hopefully should give him some breathing space to rebuild his party and stop breaking laws to get Commonwealth attention.
You are going to pay for the crimes you committed, stealing while people died of poverty, you will pay your big head. IFIMATOBO
Now that RB has accepted to be investigated, we do not expect wild utterances such as what Levies Matipa has made. Please avoid bringing on this forum what you discuss in Kachasu shebeens.
KALULU TAPUSUKA IMIPYA IBILI.
NALIKWEBELE TABULA PO.
IFYAKULYA UBUSHIKU FITULIKA KU MALUSHI.
MUNSHEBWA AILE NA MA SHINSHA KU BUKO.
UWALI UMUNGU LELO LI NKOLOBWE.
THE TIME TO ACCOUNT FOR YOUR MISDEEDS HAS COME.
LET OTHER LEADERS INCLUDING SATA LEARN FROM THIS MANS EXPERIENCE.
BE STRONG MR RB DONT SHED TEARS BEFORE THOSE PEOPLE.
TIME TO ANSWER FOR YOUR DEEDS -YOU HAVE TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT -AND THERE WILL BE MORE CHARGES AFTER WE CONCLUDE ON THE ZAMTEL SCANDAL AND THE 100% SHAREHOLDING YOU GAVE TO BARRICK IN N/W PROVINCE
iwe Barrick is a private company and he has no right to give shares…just goes to show how people are not informed hence judging Banda without facts…one day he will be vindicated…
keep quiet if you have no facts.Govt owned 35% of the shares but RB sold the shares to Barrick after a visit to statehouse by former canadian pm brian mulroney.So barrick is the only mine where govt has no shares.That my friend is scandalous
For every well meaning zambian, this non other that a day of triumph for EVIL, lets all remember that we have a fair GOD who weighs heart intents .it shall be well..its only but for a well!
zp chabe putting on rags as if they re in the bush to camouflage themselves….anyway only time will tell all the rubbish been done wil go nowhere..Rb not to worry God is with you
God cannot be with a thief. RB stole!!
Just take away his mpudu flats. and let him go back to chipata. That complex is good for senior civil servants govt accomodation.
God is Just and we should be just. If Jesus was taken to Pontius Pilate to esculpate Himself how much more a mere mortal like RB. Chiluba was stripped of his immunity by his own political party and his appointee LP Mwanawasa, how much more PF to MMD. This is the right platform to clear his name. Why fear if you know u are Innocent? Let the Law take its course. Presidential Immunity is a priviledge and not a birth right. If it was a birth right he should go to the Human Rights Commission to complain. If he is Innocent, this is the best time to loot money from the government.
very good point !!! BAUZEEEE!!
Very wise words though Jesus Christ was persecuted for being the son of God, and not for stealing like RB.
who is the next former president of zambia? i gues we all know the answer….with that in mind let us not forget to do unto others as we would want them to do unto us….as far am i concerned the precedence set here is completely wrong..even our next former presidents should also be prepared for the same R.B (2013) SATA (2016) to make matters worse the motive behind the removal of immunity is all about personal hatred….God save mother Zambia
Am happy a precedence has been set so that the incumbant and future preseidents can know that Presidential immunity is a priviledge which can be stripped any time. Sata, wapya naiwe mailo niwebo
Are you sure Sata 2016..? pf will pull off again naiwe stop lying to yourself… God for us all
Hahahahaha….let them prepare for sure, Kaunda is very much ready to be prosecuted should there be anything concrning stealing.Sata is also learning that stealing is bad and if he steals,he will be prosecuted….same as you my man.There is nothing like no….bcoz i was a former president. RB was a very bad thief….he even removed that close to make sure that he staels openly…..mamamamamamaamamaa!!!! Wapya Muziii
ITS NOT PERSONAL BUT ACCOUNTING FOR WHAT WAS STOLEN. SATA WAS JUST BEING POKED, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? IF THEY WERE QUIET MAY BE HE WOULD HAVE FORGIVEN THEM.
Oh love zambia .
Good for him.
Lifting his immunity is the fairest chance zambians have accorded) to clear most corruption allegations levelled against him. Otherwise if found guilty the law shud take its course without any interferance or selectiveness.
I SEE NOTHING WRONG IN LIFTING RB’S IMMUNITY BCOZ THIS WHEN IS NOW GONNA PROVE HIS INNOCENCE. AND THOSE CONDEMNING IT, PROBABLY MUST HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE PLUNDERING OR PERHAPS THEY MUST BE CLOSER OR RELATED TO THE BENEFICIARIES. GO GO GOVT YOU HAVE OUR FULL SUPPORT. VIVA PF.
Ku Chimbokaila kuyofya……i am just a farmer just deport me to my farm in the village.i cant account for the crimes my freinds and i commited in my govt because all who surrounded me were also doing their things.
Nikulukilileni ba Dec napapata sorry…sorry please.
AKA-L dont you think this is good that the precedent was set set by LPM (MHSRIEP). He should us the way to account for public resources by our leaders.This should also extend to all public officials and not limited to presidents only.RB committed betrayal of public trust by engaging himself and his son in looting national treasury and stashing the oil deal proceeds in an offshore personal family account.He thought he was cleverer than the people who entrusted him with power.His son and amsterdam ill advised the old man.The oil gate scandle will eat him badly more than the campaign issues. Zambians, let us not dwell so much on personality of an individual but much on the character.RB has crooked character with the propensity for lavish life style and not so serious approach to issues.
theft by President
They are just jealous of his international recognition so they want to quench him like fire. Anyway ALaBEE just prove that your hands are clean if they are.. Now if no case will be found against him will they restore his immunity???
POLITICS POLITICS, we have no mealie meal here in Ndola but mulepishyana utuma Jet kuno ati tutine????kalapoonapofye…. atabaneee!!!
Ku Ndola Kwisa ukushili Ubunga? Tamukwetefye ulupiya!!!!!!!!!!
Ba Ndola….let RB clear himself. Remember,we really cried that this man is doing wrong things bt he cudnt understand……Remember how he sold ZAMTEL, He went as far as selling public schools…just imagie!!!
@Clever so ur that tribe?? ulupiya luli ku DEC u dont know?? my boy for pipo to finish mealie meal it means they have money… so badaaala muumune mwahaaa??
At least they warned him during the campaigns that if PF comes into power they will lift his immunity so they can prosecute him for the suspected crimes he committed. Unlike HH and others who called RB corrupt but now have changed their minds, the PF regime seem to be sticking to their guns on this one…!
where was sakwiba sikota when FTJs immunity was lifted if not in parliament in the fore front……these hungry lawyers
@ uncircumcised william – I think you should get yourself circumcised may be you will be a little bit more intelligent. How old are you…or is it just because you have low IQ? Lawyers are businessmen NOT politicians. And lawyers do not exist to please you…get yourself a job! If Sikota and other lawyers are hungry, then I wonder what you are living on yourself…probably rotten lushonkonono!!
Is there a president who has not been accused after leaving office? Even KK was accused. RB is among a small number of presidents to step down gracefully without attempting to change the constitution or otherwise contesting the result. I have met RB and believe him to be a man of i ntegrity.
Clearly you dont know that he tried but failed, he also amended the abuse of office clause what does that tell you…he knew he would steal period…
Thats waht we expect of him to step down gracefully once defeated…..Do you think Zambians where going to allow it?? He was going to be removed by force if he had hesitated.
Actually, he tried to refuse stepping down,KK adised him with Storella…and KK gave him a good example!!
what a pf police force..yaba..
This is what you get when you mess around with Mmembee
Let him answer to the charges and he will clear himself.If he stole,we need our things (watever he stole) If he didnt,he will be back to freedom.
If he is innocent he will be back to freedom! Is that all ? What about the disgrace you will have put him through. Is this what you intend for every Zambian? That any one accused by any body should go through the due process, even when there is no prima facie case? I quess it is OK since it is now the job discription for every Zambian President. We zambians love to disgrace our leaders. It says a lot about what type of people we are.
MEDIOCRE, YOU ARE INDEED MEDIOCRE, we are just getting the guy to be accountable for his actions – presidency is not a free ride!! If you behave honorably & truthfully, NO ONE WILL QUESTION YOUR ACTIONS; how come no one is clamouring to lift Mwanawasa’s immunity, which is theoretically possible – coz if found wanting, his family would lose the benefits!!!
Whatever the case we love you Rupiah, they will try whatever means but u will stand out clean. Viva Rupiah
Guys, I do not know why you are debating this issue. It is pointless to do so because it will not change the fact that Mr. Banda’s immunity has been removed. Opposition MPs made a mistake leaving the house. They should have stayed put, debated and then voted against the motion- simple. But on second thought, they did not move out by mistake, they intended it so that the ruling party could remove Mr. Banda’s immunity. On one hand, the opposition wanted his immunity removed but on the other, they wanted to be seen to be against it. Congratulations to our Parliament. These are smart politics on both sides of the isle.
Parliament does not debate issues that are before the courts. RB’s case was before the courts. If the opposition had taken part in the voting, they would have endorsed the illegality involved with debating an issue that was before the courts of law. This is now a matter for history and how Michael Sata’s Presidency will be judged by posterity.
You are right bro
Good point Mulenga, the opposition did a “donchi kubeba” on RB – after chewing his money(Rather, OUR MONEY!!!) during the last election!!!
Mulenga, a correction – Isle is an island, whilst an Aisle is a walkway between or along sections of seats in a theater, classroom, or the like, in this case Parly!
Zambia is not a looter’s paradise! This has nothing to do with tribalism, it is a straight forward thing, the man has been accused of mismanagement of government resources, so let him explain what transpired during his reign. Sata will also answer for the same if he abuses his so called powers. Let us close the loop holes! How do they become in charge of govt coffers? Who allows them to import oil on our behalf? I don’t understand?
Am impressed with how confident you are at this stage, we wait for the court proceedings, guilty or not, the law must be respected, am very happy that this is happening, we should see ka Winter and the others accused of some corruption of some kind to follow suit by the end of the year or beginning next year, very good example, i just hope Winter doesnt think he will be left alone just because he helped in bring RB to court, this is not personal but for the good of the country.
And we thought this day would never come?
chayamba junyeka manje kwa RB
Ba Zambia be serious – is that the environment you can be calling bachikulile to come sure? Ati DCEC offices; can’t someone just hide those same mbanjes in such surrounding, leave them and pick them afterwards? Satani should be serious with his being in a hurry to develop zambia – not just DBB (Development By Byes), in Livingstone, Tezhi, Kapiri, Lukulu, Mpongwe, and Sinazongwe – when are we going to develop the whole country, now that we are chasing after money that was already spent on erections, sorry, elections in 2011? Stupid *****s in government!!!!!!!!!
Ati bwanji those of you who are on the ground, any latest?
RB was a law unto himself when he was in power. He deliberately removed the abuse-of-power statutory instrument from our statute books legitimatize the abuse of national resources. He now has to answer for his mis-deed.
Ba Kabova , please Sir, it is called abuse of office clause. Actually most people just parrot what they read in Fred Mmembe’s paper. There is already abuse of office in the penal code. That is why people are being prosecuted for abuse of office even though it was removed from the ACC Act. They are being proseceted under the penal code. It really makes little difference except for propaganda purposes
Dictatorial, don’t be academic with the clause. Rupiah Banda with intent to steal removed the abuse of clause and it was difficulty to prosecute anyone without it. When the PF came to power, that was the first thing they did, reinstate the same clause to pave way for prosecution. Stop lying.
I HATE PF WILL ALL MY MIND, SOUL AND HEART. MAY 2016 COME QUICKLY OR THE GOOD LORD TAKES SOME PEOPLE TO HEAVEN QUICKLY.
WISHFULL THINKING!!YOU ARE A DREAMER AND A PROPHETY OF DOOM!!COME 2016 PF WILL STILL BE IN POWER
be careful what you wish other pipo. God might end up taking you first!!
My brother HH amuses me! Just yesterday he was in the same bed with PF and Sata condemning MMD’s corruption,now Sata is trying to prosecute RB(albeit selectively), he is on the podium defending the same RB he called corrupt! I thot Sata was the only one who is not consistent,but alas it is all the politicians
Bottom line is RB and his clique including Dora stole and let them bring back our money!!!!
Bembas are tribalists. Mpezeni cant even see it being a chief. He hates banda to the grave
Enze kumwa eka walya ku state House Mpezeni sinaliko yayi.
Bricklayer and all those who think this is tribalism your thoughts are misplaced!!ZAMBIANS SHOULD NEVER EVER ALLOW ANYONE TO STEAL FROM THE PEOPLE ALL BECAUSE SOME WILL SAY IT IS TRIBALISM WHEN TIME COMES TO ACCOUNT FOR THEIR WRONG DOING.When Mwanawasa removed Chiluba’s immunity you did not cry tribalism.Just bacause your candidate lost the elections you now turn around and removing RB’s immunity is tribalism!!This is tantamount to supporting abuse of national resources by our leaders.Lets be serious guys.We only have ONE ZAMBIA and history will judge us harshly in furure if we support wrong doing.HH warned RB about corruption.Its is sad and disheartening to see HH supporting RB now.Where is our patriotism for mother Zambia?Call a spade a spade!!
actually I have a suggestion..for all those MPs who did not support the bill to remove RBs immunity, let their constituencies rise against them…!
ELYO TAAKOSA CIKKALA,I HOPE HE NEVER CRIED DURING QUESTIONING…….
This wouldn’t have happened if he had responded humbly when he was called earlier.
WHAT ABOUT THE CHILD ABUSE CASE THE MAN MARRIED A SMALL GAL
Please mr. President. concentrate on dev issues, not this witch hunting. We need, water, electricity, good roads, mealie meal, jobs etc. Arresting or prosecuting Rupiah Banda will not give us all these I have mentioned, instead it will be a waste of resources and time. Alekeni a Banda. Ife singadye a Banda kapena mulandu wa a Banda. Tifuna zija zimene munanena a PF kuti ” more money in your pocket” Zili kuti ndalama mwayangu?
I thought the immunity motion was table in parlia last week..just to discover RB is a commoner ..no wonder Dora was lifting the middle finger in parli.. things are tense for Dora and RB..
NAI KOBANA…
Sata wants to be proven right. Banda should exculpate himself. He indeed did misappropriate, so is Sata. They are both bad guys. Selfish.
You lawyers for RB, you do not make sense anymore. When your client was invited for questioning by the investigative teams you were in the forefront of saying that your client cannot go before the investogators because he had immunity. Now the immunity has been removed and Mr. Sikota is implying that investigations should have been done first! Kavundula is right, RB should have responded humbly to the investigative teams when he was invited. THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF SKINNING A CAT!
Please just help your client to clear his name if he is innocent. The money alleged to have been embezelled could have gone a long way in meeting some needs of a poor Zambian. Zambians need accountability in the way leaders handle their wealth and nobody should be spared from facing the law if found wanting.
You have said it right. Ati, ukuchenjela kwankoko, pungwa tasakamana. They thought they were being clever by shielding him behind the immunity. Little did they forget that government also had able lawyers. If only they had listened to the learned state counsel Dr Rodger Chongwe.
Let it be known that Sata’s immunity will be lifted too. And so far he has not abused anything or involved in any corruptive activities- hahahaha. People keep records and information for future use.
Saki is now clutching at straws – Govt trying to weaken opposition?? The guy is retired & NO LONGER AN ACTIVE POLITICIAN, so how does that weaken the opposition????? Saki stop politicking & start defending the guy!!!! In fact get ka Amsterdam to come, what is he afraid of??? He has committed no crime & no one will throw him in jail – the little crook is just chewing their foreign stash whilst making hot air !!!!!!
No.28.1- It is simple logic that the Judiciary cannot put a “Stay” on parliamentary debate. Judiciary cannot gag Parliament. Lawyers representing Mr. Banda went to court to prevent Parliament from debating the motion of removing Mr. Banda’s immunity but that cannot happen and has never happened in a parliamentary democracy and that is why the Speaker ruled that debate should proceed. If opposition MPs really wanted to block the lifting of Mr. Banda’s immunity, they, on hearing the Speaker’s ruling that debate should proceed should then have stayed and debated. But they cleverly left the chamber because, deep down their hearts they knew that removal of immunity was the right thing to do. It’s a “don’t kubeba” move they did on Mr. banda.
Whenever I read comments from a majority of bloggers and listen to conversations on politics in Zambia, my heart bleeds. I now understand why several countries do not allow Zambians to enter their countries freely and join their universities so easily. The UK Prime Minister went to India not to any African country to woe Indians to study in UK.
Tuli fikopo mu Zambia.
The severe economic hardships in the 1980s led to malnutrition and under development of Zambian brains? It is interesting that the healthiest and cleverest Zambians were born before 1974. Intellectual deficiencies are very clear and that is why anyone can rule in Zambia. I despair.
I agree with the little Scottish immigrant.