A corruption probe widens into the clergy, a murder trial's star witness is caught in contradictions, and the Mundubile sedition case finally gets a plea date — though not without a courtroom walkout. Here is what the reporting shows, and where it falls short.
Main Stories
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Catholic priest charged over K1.5 million in suspected crime proceeds
Fr Titus Malama Sande, 45, of Chibombo District, faces four counts of possessing and concealing property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime — K538,000 in bonds and two vehicles (a Toyota Hilux and Toyota Dyna) worth a combined K1 million. The ACC says the vehicles were allegedly acquired by former Ministry of Community Development executive officer Veronica Chisanga Kabwe but registered in Sande's name. The charge sheet covers a sprawling five-year window (Jan 2020–Dec 2025) with "persons unknown," and the ACC gives no court date beyond "soon" — a notable gap for a case this prominent. -
Chipyoka paid K50,000 to maim Guntila — witness
Detective Inspector Bernard Lupanda testified that accused Francis Chipyoka allegedly paid K50,000 as a down payment to have former IBA director-general Guntila Muleya harassed and maimed. But under cross-examination the witness conceded he had no documentary evidence of the transfer, no record of communication between Chipyoka and the third accused, and no seizure forms for money or an Arsenal jersey allegedly recovered. He also confirmed Chipyoka was not a signatory to the IBA account and could not authorise transfers. The court heard conflicting timelines — the firearm was booked back at Northmead at 20:50 while tracking placed the vehicle in Njolwe. This is a prosecution case with visible holes; the reporting deserves credit for surfacing them rather than repeating the charge sheet. -
Mundubile, Makebi to take plea on November 24 in sedition case
The Lusaka High Court refused an adjournment and ordered Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu to plead on two counts of seditious practices — one over Mundubile's call for the ECZ to release results based on parallel voter tabulation, the other over Zulu's Facebook post announcing Mundubile would address the nation. Defence lawyers including Bonaventure Mutale, Chifumu Banda and Sakwiba Sikota asked to leave the courtroom, saying they could not act without instructions; Magistrate Webster Milumbe granted it, leaving the two accused — both lawyers — to represent themselves. They then sought their own adjournment, granted to November 24. Separately, the State is asking the High Court to expunge video evidence of a raid at Zulu's premises.
Other Notable Stories
Justice & Accountability:
- The Mundubile/Zulu case is now a recurring fixture — this is at least the fourth procedural twist in roughly a month, following a Solwezi jurisdiction challenge, a refused oral-submissions bid, and a ruling date set and passed. Watch whether the November 24 plea actually holds.
- The Chipyoka trial's evidentiary gaps — no transfer records, no communication logs, no seizure forms — are the kind of detail that decides murder cases. Track whether the State produces corroborating evidence before the defence closes.
Water & Sanitation:
- Water Development and Sanitation Minister Elisha Matambo reaffirmed partnership with the NGO WASH Forum, whose 65 member organisations operate across all 10 provinces. The commitment is welcome, but the report offers no targets, no funding figures and no timeline for the "universal access" goal — the same gap that has dogged WASH pledges for years.
Technology & Revenue:
- Zamtel and the Zambia Revenue Authority launched the 2026 Innovation Challenge in a livestreamed event. The coverage is a bare event notice with no detail on the challenge's scope, prizes or objectives — and it follows a run of similar telecoms announcements (Airtel's Grow Zambia Agenda backing and Bundle Bonanza launch in recent weeks), suggesting a busy season of corporate-government photo opportunities. Watch for the actual challenge terms.
Key Takeaways & Watchpoints
- The ACC's clergy case: Fr Sande has been released on bond and is "expected to appear in court soon" — press the Commission for a firm date, and for whether the unnamed co-accused in the K5 million Kabwe/Banda matter will be charged. The "persons unknown" formulation across a five-year window invites scrutiny.
- The Guntila Muleya murder trial: The prosecution's own witness has conceded the absence of documentary evidence linking Chipyoka to the alleged K50,000 payment. Watch whether the State produces the missing records — transfer trails, communication logs, seizure forms — or whether the case rests on testimony alone.
- Mundubile and Makebi, November 24: After a month of jurisdiction fights and a courtroom walkout by their own counsel, the plea date is the next concrete milestone. Watch also for the High Court's ruling on the State's bid to expunge the raid video — a decision that will shape what evidence the public ever sees.