High Court draws line: Bring the 18 to Court without fail tomorrow
By Court Reporter | 28th October, 2026
A dramatic legal showdown looms tomorrow as the Lusaka High Court, sitting as a powerful three-judge bench, has directed prison authorities and the State – the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Attorney General (AG) – to present 18 political detainees before court at 10:00 hours “without fail”, following more than 62 days of detention in a matter that has attracted national and international attention.
Among those expected to appear are Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Brian Mundubile, prominent lawyer Makebi Zulu, Bishop Trevor Mwamba and several others facing treason-related allegations arising from events surrounding the contentious August 13 national polls – one of the most fiercely disputed elections in recent Zambian history.
The court’s language has been unusually firm.
The judges reportedly warned that failure to produce the detainees would require “an explanation from prison authorities and could attract consequences.”
The development has instantly transformed tomorrow’s proceedings into one of the most consequential courtroom moments since the arrests were made more than two months ago.
If the order is complied with, prison officers at Mukobeko Maximum Security Prison in Kabwe will likely begin preparing the detainees in the early hours of the morning, with the group expected to leave as early as 04:00 for the approximately 150-kilometre journey to Lusaka.
Security will undoubtedly be tight as the convoy snakes its way along a route likely to attract intense public and media attention.
At stake is far more than the fate of the 18 detainees.
The proceedings have evolved into a broader test of constitutional rights, judicial authority and public confidence in Zambia’s democratic institutions.
Critics have questioned the lengthy detention period, arguing that the matter raises serious concerns regarding due process and the right to timely judicial oversight. The law provides for 48 hours, not two months, they argue.
Government supporters, meanwhile, insist the allegations are grave and that legal procedures must be allowed to run their course.
Human rights advocates have also expressed concern over reports that some of the detainees have remained within the general prison population, arguing that their welfare and security should remain paramount.
What happens next could shape not only the future of the accused but also public perceptions of Zambia’s justice system.
Should the detainees be produced as ordered, attention will quickly turn to what relief the court may grant. If they are not, the spotlight will shift to prison authorities, the DPP and AG, and the questions they will be required to answer.
By this morning, Zambia’s most closely watched legal drama had entered a critical new chapter – over 62 days of media glare, local and foreign, following the disputed August 13 polls and treason and sedition charges thereafter.
Source: Court Reporting
Daily Nation Zambia Daily Revelation Newspaper