DENIAL OF BAIL FOR GBM ‘TANTAMOUNT TO
K|LL|NG HIM’
…withholding bail from an ailing prisoner was inhumane and unjust says Dr M’membe
Lusaka… Tuesday March 18, 2025
Concerns have been raised over the continued detention of former Defence Minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM), who remains incarcerated at Mwembeshi Maximum Prison despite his deteriorating health.
Socialist Party President Dr. Fred M’membe has strongly condemned the denial of bail pending appeal, stating that preventing GBM from accessing specialist medical treatment abroad is akin to sentencing him to d£ath.
In a statement, Dr. M’membe described the images of Lusaka Archdiocese Vicar General, Fr. Andrew Simpasa, performing last rites on a visibly weak and bedridden GBM as heartbreaking.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19EytWYn6q/?mibextid=wwXIfr
He stressed that the former minister requires urgent medical attention outside the country, a recommendation that has been deliberately ignored by the authorities.
“This is not how to govern a country,” Dr. M’membe stated, arguing that leadership should be guided by love, kindness, and care, even for political opponents.
He asserted that GBM’s situation was regrettable and called for common sense to prevail in granting him bail on humanitarian grounds.
Dr. M’membe further alleged that the only reason GBM remained in custody was that President Hakainde Hichilema did not want him to be released.
He stated that the government’s reluctance to consent to bail was aimed at prolonging GBM’s suffering.
“If Mr. Hichilema agrees, his Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) will agree, the Court will agree, and GBM will be on the earliest evacuation flight to receive the recommended specialist treatment,” he argued.
He cautioned that withholding bail from an ailing prisoner was inhumane and unjust, adding that justice without compassion amounted to cruelty.
Dr. M’membe insisted that GBM, as a patriot who had significantly invested in the country, had no reason to flee if granted bail.
Appealing for urgency, he demanded that the government facilitate GBM’s release before his condition worsens further.
“Grant GBM bail pending appeal on medical and humanitarian grounds before it’s too late,” he urged.
I’m confused. Is GBM being denied medical care of just medical care outside of Zambia?
If it’s the first – this is a serious problem that must be addressed. If it’s the latter, his ailments of diabetes, prostate cancer (those are the main ones, I think) are treatable in Zambia and he is on trial for crimes. When do criminals get to fly outside of the country for treatment? Especially these politicians who seem to get ‘ill’ always when they are supposed to face the law.
Mmembe you let employees die cause you failed to pay taxes and other statutory payments. While you were eating. Your employees were starving. Today, you want a thief to get vip treatment for a terminal illness?
Why are criminals rewarded? You speak of youth revolution just so that others can fight and can live cushy? Your ambition is to be an oligarch. Use other people while yapping your way to the top. Mmembe you are only of use to yourself not to anyone else. Those around you just hope that you drop crumbs for them, cause they cant go out there and do anything better in life for themselves.
Criminals have no honour. You, Mmembe are one of those people that have eaten tax payers money and contributed to the bad performance of the economy.
The fact that you are even aspiring for the highest office in this land is shamless of you!
The problem is that every criminal is getting sick after being jailed or indicted.
So many lives have been lost because of individuals like you causing deficiencies in health delivery.
When you are in these offices gou dont think of making good health facilities locally just because you know you will use that stollen money to get treatment from abroad.
In case you didn’t know, God has a way of punishing such people, just people dont learn..