High Court Orders State to Produce Mundubile, Makebi Zulu and 16 Others for Bail Hearing High Court Orders State to Produce Mundubile, Makebi Zulu for Bail HearingHigh Court Orders State to Produce Mundubile, Makebi Zulu and 16 Others for Bail Hearing
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NewsThe Lusaka High Court has ordered the State to produce opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu, together with 16 other accused persons, before court on Thursday, October 29, at 10:00 hours for their constitutional bail hearing. The order follows the failure to present the 18 applicants before the court as expected on Wednesday, raising The Lusaka High Court has ordered the State to produce Brian Mundubile, Makebi Zulu and 16 others on Thursday at 10:00 for their constitutional bail hearing.
The Lusaka High Court has ordered the State to produce opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu, together with 16 other accused persons, before court on Thursday, October 29, at 10:00 hours for their constitutional bail hearing.
The order follows the failure to present the 18 applicants before the court as expected on Wednesday, raising further questions over the circumstances surrounding their continued detention and the progress of the proceedings.
The court has directed that, should the State fail to produce the applicants at the next hearing, the officer in charge of the prison where they are being held must appear before the court and explain why they were not brought.
The directive places responsibility on the authorities to ensure that the applicants are available for the proceedings or provide an explanation for their absence.
Bail hearing delayed again
Mundubile, the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity presidential candidate in the August 2026 elections, and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, are among the 18 applicants seeking constitutional bail.
The group includes former Anglican bishop Trevor Mwamba and other individuals facing charges that include treason and related offences.
Their application challenges their continued detention, with the applicants arguing that their constitutional rights have been violated by the length of time they have spent in custody without their case proceeding to trial.
The State has opposed the application, citing the seriousness of the allegations and other considerations relating to continued detention. The court has yet to determine the constitutional bail application.
The hearing has faced earlier delays, including an adjournment after the State sought additional time to respond to the application. Preliminary procedural issues also had to be addressed, including the joining of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Gilbert Phiri, as a respondent.
What happens next?
Thursday’s hearing is expected to provide an opportunity for the court to consider the constitutional bail application, provided the applicants are produced as directed.
The court’s order requiring the prison officer in charge to explain any further failure to produce the applicants underscores the importance of complying with court directions.
The outcome will determine whether the applicants may be released, either unconditionally or subject to conditions imposed by the court, while the criminal proceedings continue.
A grant of constitutional bail would not amount to an acquittal or bring the underlying charges to an end. Equally, the allegations against the applicants remain matters to be determined through the legal process.
Zambian Eye will continue following the proceedings and report developments from the Lusaka High Court.
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