Govt pleads with mother of runaway lawmaker, Banda, to help locate him

The government has urged Grace Banda, mother of missing lawmaker, Emmanuel Jay Banda, to encourage her son to surrender to authorities rather than making “baseless and alarming” statements in the media.

Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister, Jack Mwiimbu, described Grace Banda’s remarks as unfortunate and misdirected.

In a statement issued in Lusaka on Thursday, Mwiimbu clarified that while Banda’s mother correctly stated her son had been in lawful custody, she was mistaken in suggesting that the government was holding him elsewhere.

Read More: Absence of legal team jeopardizes fugitive Banda’s case, as Lusaka High Court throws out matter

“The government has no involvement in the lawmaker’s escape from lawful custody.

“We earnestly appeal to Mrs. Banda to encourage her son to surrender himself to the authorities, rather than making alarming and unfounded statements to the media,” Mwiimbu said.

He acknowledged the escape of Emmanuel Banda from custody and reminded that officers responsible for guarding the fugitive lawmaker had been arrested.

“Consequently, the Zambia Police Service charged and arrested the officers responsible for safeguarding the now-fugitive lawmaker,” he added.

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