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Lusaka police have launched a manhunt for Reverend Elifas Banda, a teacher at Matero Boys Secondary School and a cleric at the Reformed Church in Zambia, who is accused of stealing over K700,000 meant for GCE examination fees.
According to Police Spokesperson, Rae Hamoonga, preliminary investigations indicated that Banda, who served as the school’s guidance teacher, was entrusted with collecting GCE examination fees from candidates for the 2025 exams.
However, on the night of March 7, 2025, between 22:00 and 23:00 hours, he left home and dropped off his office keys with the school’s night guard, instructing him to hand them over to his assistant, Rosette Mulambwa.
Instead, the guard gave the keys to the Deputy Headteacher, who later reported the matter.
Hamoonga disclosed that Banda later sent a text message to Mulambwa, confessing that he had left with the money.
“Matero Police Station received a report of theft by a public servant on March 10, 2025, at 15:11 hours from Mr. M’Given Munkanshi, the school’s Deputy Headteacher, regarding the theft of K713,600 cash meant for payment to the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ) for GCE candidates,” Hamoonga said.
Additionally, a Samsung mobile phone valued at K4,000, belonging to the school, was also stolen. Police have since opened a docket and launched investigations into the matter.
Meanwhile, police have opened investigations into a suspected murder case following the discovery of a burnt body inside a vehicle along Sheki-Sheki Road in Emmasdale, Lusaka.
Hamoonga said the matter was reported on March 11, 2025, at 21:10 hours by Issah Ahmed, a 27-year-old resident of Villa Elizabetha.
Preliminary investigations reveal that at about 19:30 hours, Ahmed received a call from John Nkata, a neighborhood watch member in Emmasdale, alerting him to a burning vehicle near his residence.
Upon verifying the report, Ahmed discovered a person inside the car. With the help of neighbors, he managed to extinguish the fire before reporting the matter to the police.
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“When officers arrived at the scene, they found the deceased trapped in the driver’s seat, burnt beyond recognition. A further police examination revealed that the victim’s hands and legs had been tied together with a wire, indicating foul play,” Hamoonga said.
The vehicle involved is a silver Toyota Corolla with registration number ACX 6276, though the owner has yet to be identified.
The body has been transported to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) mortuary for a postmortem examination and possible identification. Police have since opened a docket and are appealing to the public for any information that could assist in the investigation.
“The Zambia Police Service remains committed to ensuring justice is served,” Hamoonga stated.
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