STATE IS LYING
…We haven’t appeared in court for treason – Mundubile, others
By George Zulu and Charles Musonda
INCARCERATED National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) presidential candidate Brian Mundubile, his running mate Makebi Zulu and 16 others have refuted claims by the State that they have appeared in court for terorrism.
Meanwhile, the Solwezi magistrates court has declined to handle the sedition case against 2026 NRPUP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu, saying it has no jurisdiction.
The detainees have said they were not presented before the Kabwe magistrates court on August 30, September 11 and 15, 2026, to answer treason and prohibition of terrorism charges as the State has claimed.
In an affidavit in reply to submissions filed by Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha on October 10, the 18 petitioners argue that the purported remand warrants do not accurately reflect their actual court appearances.
Mundubile, Zulu and the 16 others have challenged the State’s reliance on the remand warrants as proof of lawful detention.
They argue that the documents’ existence did not establish that they were brought before the court in accordance with the law.
The petitioners also allege that some of them were held incommunicado following their arrest in August, while four were detained in an incomplete section of Mwembeshi Correctional Facility without lawful warrants.
They also submitted that one of the petitioners was denied access to medication until August 12, after falling critically ill, and have since questioned the legal basis of documents used to admit some of them to the correctional facility.
The 18 petitioners are now seeking court declarations over alleged denial of access to legal counsel, torture and deprivation of medication, as well as damages for unlawful detention, mental anguish, indignity and other alleged constitutional violations.
They are also seeking costs of the proceedings.
Mundubile, Zulu, George Chisanga, Patrick Mwansa, Bishop Trevor Mwamba, Francis Mulenga, Brazil Soko, Bernard Chewe, Davies Chisopa, Dickson Tembo and Victor Muzyamba are facing treason charges.
Jackson Mutyoka, Richard Banda, Emmanuel Mulenga, Darrius Mwila, Simon Phiri, Harry Valden Findlay and Ezra Tolopa are facing charges of prohibition of terrorism.
Meanwhile, the Solwezi magistrates court has declined to handle the sedition case against 2026 NRPUP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu, saying it has no jurisdiction.
Delivering her ruling yesterday, Principal Resident Magistrate Mambwe Mukonde held that under the Subordinate Courts Act, the matter properly falls under the High Court.
Magistrate Mukonde, however, said she could not decide whether the case should be moved to Lusaka.
Mundubile and Zulu are facing two counts of seditious practices.
Lawyer Bonaventure Mutale, for the defence, had asked the court to throw out the proceedings in Solwezi, arguing that the alleged offences were committed in Lusaka, not North-Western Province.
The defence also applied to have the accused persons give oral testimony to support the jurisdictional objection.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Gilbert Phiri opposed the application, submitting that it lacked legal backing and that all relevant facts were already contained in documentary evidence, including warn and caution statements.
The court observed that the State did not contest the contents of the statements and did not dispute the defence contention that the alleged acts took place in Lusaka.
