Businessman Banda sues govt, demands US$2 million as compensation for alleged maltreatment

Lusaka business executive, Marlone Banda, is claiming US$2 million compensation from the state for maliciously prosecuting him of terrorism charges.

Banda, the Chief Executive Officer of Masiye Petroleum Products Limited was last year jointly charged with former State House political advisor, Chris Zumani Zimba, and two others of orchestrating the gassing incidences in 2020.

After spending over seven months in Prison, the four were on December 1, 2023, acquitted by the Lusaka High Court due to lack of evidence linking them to the offences.

According to a statement of claim filed into the Lusaka High Court citing the Attorney-General as defendant, Banda described his prosecution as malicious as the police even without evidence, proceeded to prosecute him and cause him harm.

He stated that his business recorded losses at the time of his detention in police.

Banda is seeking among other reliefs, a court’s order for the State to pay him US$2 million, which was accumulated due to his failure to execute a stand by letter of credit.

The litigant is further seeking damages worth K2 million spent on obtaining the standby letter of credit and K2,327,933.02 to pay off his outstanding loan with Madison Finance company.

Banda said his business owes Kacholola systems K10 million for the supplied petroleum which he failed to pay as he was in incarceration.

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