Opposition leader Brian Mundubile and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, have been formally charged with treason, bringing the number of people accused in a widening post-election security case to 18.
The two leaders of the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) are each facing one count of treason, according to their lawyer, Milner Katolo.
Katolo confirmed the development in an interview with the media said police should have gathered sufficient evidence before charging the suspects.
He also maintained that the accused must be taken before a court within 48 hours in accordance with constitutional requirements governing detention.
Mundubile and Zulu remain in custody after spending more than a week at a United Nations compound before being transferred into police custody. The two were interrogated at Lusaka Central Police Station over the weekend.
Among the other people already facing treason charges are Patrick Mwansa, the husband of former President Edgar Lungu’s daughter Tasila Lungu, and businessman Valden Findlay.
The charges arise from a security operation conducted at Mundubile’s residence in Kabulonga on August 14, during which former Cabinet minister Mutotwe Kafwaya was killed.
Police have said that military-grade weapons and other devices were recovered during the operation. Several people arrested in connection with the investigation are reported to include former special forces operatives and a retired police officer.
Police spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi has rejected suggestions that Lusaka Central Police Station was sealed off during the interrogation of the suspects, saying the facility remains open and fully operational.
Chilabi also said people in custody were being accorded their legal rights, including access to relatives and lawyers.
“Just like the Inspector General of Police said, all persons in custody are given their full rights, which include interacting with their relatives as well as having access to their legal counsel,” Chilabi said.
The case has unfolded against the backdrop of political tensions following the August 13 general election, in which President Hakainde Hichilema was declared the winner.
According to the Electoral Commission of Zambia, Hichilema received 2,965,326 votes, while Mundubile polled 1,856,217 votes.
Mundubile rejected the election outcome and indicated that he intended to challenge the results through the courts.
The Law Association of Zambia has also been monitoring developments surrounding the arrests and detention of the accused, with its president, Arnold Kaluba, addressing a press briefing on the matter.
International human rights organisation Amnesty International has raised concerns over the arrests and the treatment of the suspects.
However, UPND media director Mark Simuwe has defended the need for investigations, arguing that Zambia’s justice system requires authorities to investigate allegations before determining whether charges should be brought.
Simuwe said the central issue should be whether the suspects were facing genuine criminal allegations, rather than the mere fact that arrests had been made in connection with allegations involving military-grade weapons.
With Mundubile and Zulu now formally charged alongside the other suspects, attention is expected to shift to the courts, where the prosecution will have to present its case and the defence will have an opportunity to challenge the allegations.
The proceedings are likely to attract considerable public attention as Zambia continues to navigate the political tensions surrounding the disputed post-election period.
Picture: Mundubile and Makebi Zulu