Petauke Central Member of Parliament Emmanuel Jay Banda has been formally arrested for the offenses of aggravated robbery and attempted murder.
Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga has announced in a statement that Banda, who was detained for questioning after his discharge from hospital yesterday, had been arrested for crimes allegedly committed on 14 December 2015 when he was a Patriotic Front party official and cadre in Eastern Province.
“The alleged crimes were committed on December 14, 2015, at approximately 15:00 hours at Mzigawa Primary School in Vubwi District of Eastern Province. The incident involved the theft of property valued at K12,000,” stated Hamoonga.
Recently, the alleged victim of the alleged serious criminal offenses, Peter Sukwa Muchelenga, has publicly recounted the harrowing incident and petitioned the Chief Justice over the matter. He alleges that Banda led a group of PF party hooligans who not only damaged his property, harassed and physically assaulted him but that he (Banda) urinated in his mouth.
Sukwa was, at the time, a reporter for the then-leading private newspaper, Post Newspapers, which was shut down by former president Edgar Lungu.
Banda has been remanded in custody at Chipata Central Police Station and is scheduled to appear in court soon.
Banda’s storied past includes various violent incidents, including breaking into the Lusaka Central Police Station and assaulting a police officer.
