Award winning Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono denounces summoning of Archbishop Banda
He writes:
The Drug Enforcement Commission of Zambia has summoned Archbishop Alick Banda of the Archdiocese of Lusaka to appear before its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit.
The letter, dated 31 December 2025 and issued by the Republic of Zambia’s Drug Enforcement Commission, instructs Alick Banda to report to DEC offices in Lusaka on 5 January 2026 at 10:00 hours.
The summons is issued under Section 26(c) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act No. 14 of 2001 and is signed by the Head of the AMLIU on behalf of the Director General.
The Catholic Church in Zambia has historically been a powerful moral and political voice, often speaking critically about governance, corruption, and economic hardship. Archbishop Banda himself has been an outspoken cleric on national issues, which makes the summons particularly sensitive in a country where church and state relations carry significant political weight.
At this stage, the notice is a requirement to appear for questioning and does not amount to a charge or a finding of guilt.
However, its issuance signals that investigators believe there are matters requiring formal explanation under Zambia’s anti-money laundering framework.
The situation is likely to attract close public attention, given the Church’s influence and the broader climate of enforcement actions under the current anti-corruption drive.
The law does not care about Hopewell, it follows evidence and hold suspects accountable, period!
Hopewell is a loud mouth man with a cause and thinks being “an Award wining Journalist” gives him the right to speak even when he is wrong.
Does this journalist believe in facts? Or is his brand of journalism one that looks at ine side of the story and judges?
Was this Bishop not found with a car that was in a questionable circumstance? So why then would he support a man who upon realising that the car was illegally in his position return it? The law has not had the opportunity to question him how he was in possession of a car that didnt belong to him. So now they have suggest they would like to. They are wrong?
Yes,former first lady Esther Lungu was once summoned by the same agency and she complied.What did Hopewello say? Problem with certain award-winning chaps is everything is political.There is a certain convicted chap who gave out those vehicles and is now out on bail claiming there was insufficient evidence to turn him into a prisoner.Is the DEC wrong to summon the Bishop for some facts,surely!!?
There is a lot to report on in Zimbabwe and how Zimbos are being mistreated in South Africa.. Stay away from Zambian issues.
The comments made by Mr. Hopewell have nothing to do with award-winning.
A crook is a crook no matter whatever his calling.
HH, while in opposition was summoned many times by police, Bishop John General is appearing before courts, what is wrong with inviting Arch Bishop Banda just to go and ask him few questions to help with on going investigations? In actual sense if I remember too well motor theft is a very very serious crime and every suspect is supposed to be behind bars till court but Arch Bishop who was even found with the car red handed has never been before an investigator for almost a year, is that not respect enough if not selective justice actually?