A court granted bail to a Zambian archbishop Monday after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of possessing a vehicle suspected of being unlawfully obtained from the country’s tax authority.
Archbishop Alick Banda appeared in court Sept. 28 to answer a charge that he possessed a Toyota Hilux between 2021 and 2023 that was suspected of being taken unlawfully from the Zambia Revenue Authority.
Banda, who has led the Archdiocese of Lusaka since 2018, entered the not-guilty plea after the charge was read out at Lusaka Magistrates’ Court.
The court granted the 62-year-old archbishop bail of 80,000 Zambian kwacha (about $4,100) and ordered him to surrender his travel documents pending a trial, the Zambian news site mwebantu.com reported.
Zambia is a landlocked southern African country of around 22 million people, approximately 3.2 million of whom are Catholic. The Lusaka archdiocese, which serves around 1.8 million Catholics, is regarded as the national primatial see because it is based in Zambia’s capital city.
The case against Banda comes amid an investigation into the allegedly improper disposal of 22 vehicles belonging to the Zambia Revenue Authority, which were supposed to have been sold to members of staff through a restricted bidding system.
Ownership of a blue Toyota Hilux with the license plate ALF 7734 was reportedly transferred into Banda’s name in April 2021.
Zambia’s Drug Enforcement Commission, which also investigates financial crimes, seized the Hilux in December 2023. The DEC announced in September 2024 that the vehicle had been forfeited following a six-month period to contest the seizure.
In October 2025, a court sentenced the Zambia Revenue Authority’s commissioner general Kingsley Chanda to six years and former director of administration Callistus Kaoma to nine years for failing to follow the procedure for the proper disposal of the vehicles. The two men were granted bail pending appeal.
The DEC’s Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit first summoned Banda on Dec. 31, 2025.
The Zambian bishops’ conference expressed solidarity with the archbishop on Jan. 2, 2026, describing him as a victim of “state-sponsored persecution.”
“We consider it an abuse of authority for the ruling party to utilize state machinery against an individual due to his stance on national governance and his efforts to hold the government accountable,” the bishops’ conference said.
Banda has publicly criticized the government of Hakainde Hichilema, who won a second five-year presidential term in an election held on Aug. 13, 2026.
The archbishop received a formal caution on Jan. 5, 2026, after he was questioned by the DEC. He reportedly exercised his right to remain silent.
On Sept. 27, 2026 — after nine months without any publicly reported developments — Banda was summoned to appear again before the DEC.
On Sept. 28, the Zambian bishops’ conference issued a new statement of solidarity with the archbishop.
After appearing before the DEC, the archbishop was arrested and charged with possession of property reasonably believed to have been unlawfully obtained, under Section 319 of Zambia’s Penal Code.
The Zambian bishops’ conference said: “We affirm our deep respect for his pastoral ministry and his tireless dedication to the service of the Church and the nation. In this moment, we recall the Church’s teaching that every person is entitled to fairness, dignity, and due process. We therefore call upon all concerned to ensure that these principles are upheld without prejudice or intimidation.”
It added: “Archbishop Banda has consistently spoken with courage and moral clarity, reminding the faithful and society at large of our shared responsibility to build a society rooted in integrity, unity and compassion. His witness strengthens our resolve to uphold the values of justice and peace in Zambia.”
“As he undergoes this process, we accompany him with our prayers, asking the Lord to grant him fortitude, serenity and wisdom. May this trial not diminish but rather deepen our collective commitment to truth, justice, and the common good in Zambia.”