Mundubile, Makebi challenge prolonged detention
By Thandizo Banda
LEADING opposition candidate Brian Mundubile, his running mate Makebi Zulu and 16 other detainees have asked the High Court to declare their continued detention unlawful and unconstitutional.
The 18 treason detainees filed the matter in the High Court on Friday, citing violations of their fundamental rights.
Mundubile and Zulu sued the Attorney General, Mukobeko Maximum Security Correctional Facility officer-in-charge Harrington Akushanga and Zambia Correctional Service Commissioner General Fredrick Chilukutu against the detention without following the law.
Others challenging the detention are George Kangwa Chisanga, Patrick Mwansa, Trevor Mwamba, Francis Mulenga, Brazil Soko, Jackson Mutyoka, Bernard Chanda Chewe, Richard Banda and Emmanuel Mulenga.
The others are Darius Mwila, Simon Phiri, Harry Valden Findlay, David Chisopa, Ezra Tolopa, Dickson Tembo and Victor Muzyamba.
The 18 are challenging the circumstances surrounding their arrests, detention, transfer to correctional facilities and denial of access to lawyers and family members.
The detainees contend that their constitutional rights were being violated.
“The petitioners assert that their right to be promptly presented before a competent court … has been violated by the arbitrary admission to Mukobeko Maximum Remand facility without a lawful warrant,” documents seen by The Mast say.
In the petition filed in the Lusaka High Court, the petitioners submit that they are Zambian citizens detained over alleged offences of treason and prohibition of terrorism.
They were held at unknown locations for more than nine days before being detained at the incomplete section of Mwembeshi Correctional Facility after being taken away from the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.
The petitioners submit that they were denied contact with their families and legal counsel during their detention and that despite a court order granting family visitation, access remained restricted.
The petitioners also said that prominent Lusaka businessman Harry Valden Findlay was taken from his residence in Chisamba on August 4 by people acting under the authority of state security agencies and taken to the incomplete section of Mwembeshi Correctional Facility where he was isolated, denied access to lawyers and family and deprived of his prescription medication.
The petitioners also challenge the detention of several other members of the group following a raid at Mundubile’s Kabulonga residence on August 14.
They submit that a combined military and law-enforcement team that raided Mundibile’s house took several petitioners to a command centre before they were detained at different police stations in Lusaka.
The petitioners said the detainees were kept in police custody without charge for 16 days, while another petitioner was held for 11 days without charge and denied access to family and legal representation.
“Mr Mundubile and Mr Zulu voluntarily presented themselves to police on August 27 and were kept in detention without charge until August 29, when they were jointly charged with the other petitioners with treason. In the early hours of August 30, the petitioners were airlifted to Kabwe and admitted to Mukobeko Maximum Correctional Facility without a lawful remand warrant. Three petitioners were on September 7, 2026 taken from Mukobeko to Mwembeshi Correctional Facility without a lawful warrant,” it said.
The petition alleges that three petitioners while at Mwembeshi, were interrogated by three Zambia Army Special Forces personnel and threatened with loss of pension benefits if they failed to provide information incriminating Mundubile and Zulu.
