LUSAKA – The Zambia Police Service has confirmed that former Petauke Central Member of Parliament Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda has been apprehended and is back in the country, ending more than two years of uncertainty over his whereabouts after he escaped from lawful custody in August 2024.
In a statement issued on Friday, October 16, 2026, police spokesperson Chipo Kaitisha said Banda was in Zambia awaiting formal arrest and charging.
“The Zambia Police Service wishes to inform the public that former Petauke Member of Parliament, Emmanuel Jay Banda, has been apprehended,” the statement said.
“He is currently in the country awaiting formal arrest and charging.”
Police said further details would be provided in due course but did not disclose where Banda was apprehended, which authorities were involved or where he was being held.
The confirmation follows reports that Banda was seized on Wednesday evening from a location near the Mozambique-Zimbabwe border and transported to Lusaka.
Some reports have further claimed that he arrived in an ambulance allegedly obtained from Zimbabwe and was admitted to Maina Soko Military Hospital around midday on Thursday. Those details have not been confirmed by the Zambia Police Service, the hospital or another identified official source. His reported injuries and current medical condition therefore remain unverified.
What is confirmed, and what remains unclear?
The police statement confirms three important facts: Banda has been apprehended, he is in Zambia, and police intend to proceed with formal arrest and charging.
It does not confirm the reported ambulance journey, hospital admission or claims that Banda was injured during the operation.
News Diggers, citing sources it described as reliable, also reported that a joint task force of State security personnel captured Banda in Mozambique and brought him to Zambia. However, the published police statement does not identify the operation’s location or the agencies involved.
Emmanuel Mwamba, a senior Tonse Pamodzi Alliance official who had been communicating claims about Banda’s capture, previously alleged that operatives using three vehicles took the former MP from outside his residence. Mwamba said he was initially unable to establish Banda’s whereabouts or condition.
The latest police statement confirms that Banda is in Zambia, but it does not settle the questions surrounding how he was taken into custody or whether he received medical treatment after arriving.
Was Banda in Mozambique under refugee status?
Mwamba and other opposition-linked accounts have described Banda as having been in Mozambique and alleged that he was living there under refugee status.
That status has not been independently confirmed through a statement from Mozambican authorities or a publicly available document establishing that Banda had been formally recognised as a refugee.
The distinction matters. Being present in another country, seeking asylum and being formally recognised as a refugee are different legal circumstances.
It is also not yet clear whether Mozambican authorities knew about the reported operation, whether they participated in it or whether any formal extradition or other transfer procedure was followed.
No public statement from the relevant Mozambican authorities had been established at the time of publication confirming their involvement or explaining the circumstances under which Banda left the country.
The questions are significant because they concern both the legal basis for the operation and the responsibilities of the countries involved.
Why Banda had been outside Zambia
Banda’s latest apprehension follows a lengthy period in which he was wanted by Zambian authorities after escaping from lawful custody.
In June 2024, he was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery and attempted murder. He was subsequently held while the criminal proceedings were pending.
On August 5, 2024, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security announced that Banda had escaped from lawful custody while receiving medical attention at Chipata General Hospital. Authorities said he had been under the supervision of police and correctional officers.
His escape triggered a manhunt and investigations into how he had left custody. Several individuals, including his wife and officers responsible for his supervision, were later reported to have faced allegations connected to the escape. Those allegations must be distinguished from any findings made by a court.
In November 2024, Zambian authorities announced that Banda had been apprehended in Harare, Zimbabwe, and arrangements were reportedly being made for his return to Zambia. His subsequent whereabouts again became uncertain, and he remained outside the reach of Zambian authorities until the latest apprehension announced by police.
The latest development therefore represents a significant step in the outstanding criminal case, but it does not determine the merits of the charges against him.
What happens after the apprehension?
Police say Banda is awaiting formal arrest and charging. The next stage should clarify the offences for which he will be formally arrested, the legal basis of the proceedings and when he is expected to appear before a court.
The police statement does not specify whether the charges will be limited to the earlier allegations of aggravated robbery and attempted murder or whether any additional offences are being considered.
It also does not say whether Banda is receiving medical treatment, whether he has been examined by medical personnel or whether his condition could affect the timing of his appearance before court.
These are important questions, particularly in light of the unverified reports that he was injured during the operation.
If Banda is admitted to hospital, confirmation from the relevant authorities would establish his location and medical status. If he is already in police custody, police should clarify where he is being held and the next steps in the criminal process.
Questions for Zambia and Mozambique
The circumstances surrounding Banda’s apprehension have implications beyond his individual criminal case.
If the operation took place in Mozambique, a clear account from the relevant authorities would help establish whether the apprehension involved cooperation between the two countries, a formal legal process or another arrangement.
The Zambian Police Service has not yet publicly detailed the operation. Mozambique’s position has also not been established in the information available for this report.
The absence of those details does not, by itself, prove that the operation was unlawful or that Mozambican authorities were unaware of it. Those conclusions would require evidence.
The immediate priorities are to establish where Banda was apprehended, who conducted the operation, the legal basis on which he was returned to Zambia and his current physical condition.
A major development, but important details are still missing
The police confirmation marks a turning point in the search for Banda, who escaped from lawful custody in 2024 while facing serious criminal charges.
But the official announcement is brief and leaves several significant questions unanswered. His current location, medical condition, the precise circumstances of his apprehension and the legal arrangements surrounding his return remain to be clarified.
Zambian Eye will continue to follow the story as police and the relevant authorities provide further information.
For now, what is officially confirmed is that Banda is in Zambia and awaiting formal arrest and charging. Reports about his injuries, ambulance transfer, hospital admission and refugee status remain unverified.