I AM NOT CONVINCED, AND ZAMBIA SHOULD NOT BE CONVINCED EITHER!
A Pastoral Reflection on the Arrest of Fr. Titus Malama Sande.
I have read the reports again and again. I have prayed over them. And my spirit refuses to settle.
Let me be very clear, so no one twists my words:
I am NOT declaring Fr. Sande innocent. I am NOT declaring him guilty. I am declaring this, THERE IS A DEEPER TRUTH HERE THAT WE HAVE NOT YET HEARD.
And Zambia must not be too quick to celebrate an arrest, and too slow to ask questions.
1. DOES A NAME ON A PAPER MAKE A MAN A CRIMINAL? The ACC alleges Fr. Sande possessed and concealed bonds worth K538,000 and two vehicles worth about K1 million, registered in his name but said to have been acquired by someone else.
Stop there. Think.
In Zambia, who do people run to when they are in trouble? The priest. Who do they trust to keep things? The priest. Who do they ask to help a struggling family? The priest.
A priest’s greatest weakness is often his greatest goodness. He trusts too much.
So I ask, as a pastor, not as a judge: Was this corruption? We do not know yet. That is for the court to decide.
Registration is NOT intention. Possession is NOT knowledge. A name on a document is NOT proof of a corrupt heart.
Let the court prove: Did he KNOW? Did he INTEND? Did he BENEFIT? If those are not proved with evidence, then a headline has not proved corruption. It has only proved an allegation.
2. WHY MUST WE INSIST ON FAIRNESS? The Catholic Church has spoken consistently, and will continue to speak:
• Respect the Constitution.
• Follow due process.
• Do not manipulate the law.
That commitment does not change because one priest is charged.
We respect the ACC and its mandate to fight corruption. We ask only what the Constitution asks of every institution, that this case be proved in court, with evidence, not decided on Facebook.
Fairness for the accused is not opposition to justice. It IS justice.
If you want to strengthen a nation, you do not weaken its conscience. You protect due process for everyone, even when the headline is painful.
Hear me tonight: The voice of the Church will not go quiet.
You cannot kill a conscience by arresting a man. You cannot bury truth by a headline. The Church has survived empires. It will survive headlines.
3. WHERE IS THE WHOLE TRUTH? We have heard one side, the ACC side. We have NOT yet heard Fr. Sande’s full defence. We have NOT seen the full evidence in court.
A headline is not a judgment.
An arrest is not a conviction.
A charge is not proof.
I have seen men destroyed on Friday, and vindicated on Monday, but their names were never restored. That is not justice. That is trial by public opinion.
My position is simple and it will not change, If Fr. Sande is guilty, let the law deal with him, without fear, without favour, and the Church will cleanse herself.
If he is innocent, let God vindicate him openly, and let those who rushed to judge bow their heads and repent.
BUT HEAR THIS, ZAMBIA:
Do not allow the alleged sin of ONE man to be used to dismiss the moral voice of a WHOLE Church.
The Church is not above the law. But a priest is not below the protection of the law either.
We can fight corruption AND defend the Constitution. We can demand accountability AND demand fairness.
We can respect institutions AND insist that they follow due process.
To the Catholic Church, I say tonight, Lift up your head. Do not be intimidated. Do not go quiet. Do not apologise for speaking truth. Zambia needs your voice now more than ever.
To Fr. Sande, I say, We pray for you. We stand with you in prayer until truth speaks.
To the ACC, I say, We respect you. Now prove it. Prove it in court, not on Facebook. Prove it with evidence, not with posters.
LET THE ACC INVESTIGATE. LET THE DEFENCE BE HEARD. LET THE COURT DECIDE. LET GOD JUDGE.
Zambia needs justice, not persecution. Accountability, not trial by headline. Truth, not intimidation.
TRUTH WILL NEVER BE SACRIFICED AT THE ALTAR OF PUBLIC OPINION.
Now I ask you, Zambia, will you pray for truth and fairness to prevail?
Comment AMEN if you will pray for Fr. Sande, for the Church, and for Zambia. Let us talk with respect, with courage, and without fear.
God bless Fr. Sande. God bless the Catholic Church. God bless Zambia.
Rev Peter K Nsama.
13 November 2026.
This is a pastoral reflection, not a legal conclusion. All charges are allegations until proved in court. We pray for all parties.
Ba Rev. Nsama, the bible says be quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to get angry (James 1:19).
It is too early to start commenting on this case. As you have rightly said, we have just heard one side of the story. Let us wait for the priest’s side then we can begin to intelligently comment on the case.
As for your assertion that the properties could have been entrusted to him. Why would someone want to register property in another’s name? Don’t forget that the properties in question are tied to two persons who the ACC were investigating.
Even if someone wanted to register the properties in the priest’s name for safekeeping, it was his responsibility to ensure the properties were not illegally obtained. You donot casually assume responsibility for property worth over a million kwacha like it was a bag of charcoal or a pair of shoes. That would be extremely poor judgement on the part of the priest.