Ex-political advisor, Zumani, 3 others freed, as Judge strikes out terrorism charges

A joyous mood filled the Supreme courtroom after former President Edgar Lungu’s political advisor, Chris Zumani Zimba, and three others were found not guilty to terrorism-related charges, in relation to the gassing incidents that rocked the country in 2020.

Lusaka High Court Judge, Koreen Zimba, said she could not find any evidence linking Zumani and his co-accused who have been in detention since May 30, 2023, to acts of terrorism.

Judge Zimba said the evidence adduced by the prosecution had gaps or inconsistencies, thus was insufficient to send the accused to prison.

In this matter, Zumani was charged with aiding of terrorism acts contrary to Section 28 of the Anti-Terrorism and Non-Proliferation Act, 2018 as read with Act No 6 of 2023 of the Laws of Zambia.

Allegations are that between February 1 and 22, 2020, he aided his co-accused to conduct terrorist acts in Petauke district of Eastern Zambia

His co-accused are Given Phiri, Marlone Banda and Potiphar Gwai.

Judge Zimba, however, dismissed the allegations that Zumani aided the acts saying there was no evidence produced by the prosecution apart from the fact that he communicated to Phiri before travelling to Petauke.

She said a state witness told the court that Phiri and Banda travelled to Petauke to convince a councillor who had joined opposition UPND to rejoin PF.

She said there was no evidence of what Phiri and Zumani exactly talked about on phone, therefore the court could not speculate that it was about gassing.

She added that neither did Zumani communicate with Phiri on the day he was arrested.

Judge Zimba also noted inconsistencies in the test reported done by ZABS as it did not speak to the email containing test results from Protechnic Laboratories of South Africa, who conducted the testing of the samples.

She questioned how ZABS in its test report done by laboratory analyst Chris Shonga said Deep 600 contained toxins when the South African lab had indicated that there were none.

Judge Zimba further said the results from South Africa ruled out the presence of Halothane in all the six samples that were couriered.

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