CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP ALICK BANDA SUMMONED BY DEC FOR QUESTIONING

CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP ALICK BANDA SUMMONED BY DEC FOR QUESTIONING

ARCHBISHOP DR ALICK BANDA SUMMONED

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.

Historically, the Catholic church held quasi-sovereign status in some regions making it difficult to prosecute a clergyman.

However, contemporary Zambian jurisprudence operates under a system where the state maintains supremacy in matters of criminal law enforcement.

If investigations reveal sufficient evidence of wrongdoing that meets the threshold for criminal charges under Zambian law, and subsequently, a conviction is secured in a competent court, then imprisonment is a viable punitive measure against Archbishop Dr Banda.

In 2024, the commission seized a motor vehicle belonging to the Archbishop, which was allegedly a gift from the late Sixth Republican President, His Excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu.