Lusaka Archbishop Dr Alick Banda has been arrested by Zambia’s Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) over allegations that he was in possession of property reasonably believed to have been unlawfully obtained.
The Catholic Church leader was arrested on Monday after being questioned at the DEC offices in Lusaka and has been charged under Section 319 of the Penal Code, Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
According to the allegations, Archbishop Banda between April 22, 2021, and December 27, 2023, was in possession of a blue Toyota Hilux, registration number ALF 7734, which was reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained from the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA).
The charge does not allege that Archbishop Banda participated in the disposal of the vehicle.
Instead, the case centres on whether he possessed the vehicle while having reason to believe that it had been unlawfully acquired.
The matter is now expected to be determined through the courts.
Arrest follows months-long investigation
The Archbishop’s arrest brings renewed attention to a wider investigation into the alleged irregular disposal of about 22 ZRA vehicles.
The investigation has already resulted in convictions involving former ZRA Commissioner General Kingsley Chanda and former Director of Administration Callistus Kaoma.
Chanda was sentenced to six years in prison, while Kaoma received a nine-year sentence after the two were found guilty in connection with the handling of the vehicles between January 2017 and December 2020.
During the trial, former ZRA Board Secretary Suzyo Ngandu testified that three vehicles that had not been advertised for sale were allegedly given away—one to Archbishop Banda and two to the Heart of Mercy charity.
The prosecution argued that the vehicles should have been disposed of through the established internal tender process but were instead removed from the disposal list.
Archbishop Banda is now the most prominent recipient to face charges arising from the vehicle saga.
Catholic Church rallies behind Archbishop
Before reporting to the DEC offices on Monday, Archbishop Banda attended a solidarity Mass at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus at 8am.
Church leaders and Catholic faithful gathered to pray for the Archbishop, with the Archdiocese citing Matthew 26:38, in which Jesus asks his disciples to keep watch with him.
Archbishop of Kasama and Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) president Ignatius Chama, Vicar General Father Andrew Simpasa SJ, ZCCB Secretary General Father Francis Mukosa and lawyer John Sangwa SC accompanied Archbishop Banda to the DEC offices.
Police in riot gear reportedly restricted access to roads leading to the DEC offices in Ridgeway as the Archbishop arrived.
Archbishop Chama said the bishops remained supportive of Banda’s pastoral ministry.
“We affirm our deep respect for his pastoral ministry,” Chama said.
Sangwa, one of Zambia’s prominent constitutional lawyers, is leading the Archbishop’s defence.
Case dates back to 2025.
The case dates back to December 2025, when Archbishop Banda received a summons dated December 31 requiring him to appear before the DEC’s Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit on January 5, 2026.
When he appeared, he was formally warned and cautioned but chose to remain silent.
He was accompanied by Socialist Party leader Fred M’membe and lawyer Makebi Zulu.
The matter subsequently remained largely quiet for several months before the Archdiocese announced on September 25 that the Archbishop had received a fresh summons.
The ZCCB had previously questioned the circumstances surrounding the investigation, arguing that the proceedings against Banda were politically motivated and linked to his views on national governance.
The DEC and police have rejected such characterisations, maintaining that the investigation concerns the alleged possession of property believed to have been unlawfully obtained.
Police spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi and DEC spokesperson Allan Tamba have urged members of the public to remain calm and avoid inflammatory statements or unlawful assemblies.
The Archbishop’s arrest has therefore brought a long-running dispute into a new phase, with the courts now expected to determine whether the State can prove the allegation against him.
