FORMER deputy high commissioner to India Andrew Banda arrested

FORMER deputy high commissioner to India Andrew Banda was yesterday arrested and detained at Woodlands Police Station for allegedly defaming President Sata.
Mr Banda was picked up by plain-clothes as soon as he left the Lusaka Magistrate’s Court, where he was attending a case in which he is charged with corrupt activities.
The details of Mr Banda’s arrest and detention were not clear by press time as police officers said he was only kept at Woodlands Police Station awaiting transportation to Chipata, where he will be formally charged.
The police waited for Mr Banda in the courtroom and approached him as he was leaving the court premises with one of his lawyers, Milner Katolo.
The officers told Mr Banda, who is son to former President Rupiah Banda, to accompany them to Woodlands Police Station as there were “some people” waiting for him at the police station.
“Okay, let me get some documents from my sister or better still, I can jump into my lawyer’s vehicle and follow you to the police station.”
But the officers maintained that Banda jump into their vehicle and stop wasting their time.
As he approached his sister, the officers grabbed Mr Banda and shoved him towards a white Nissan Caravan.
Mr Banda was infuriated and responded: “Officers, stop pushing me, do you think a gentleman like me can run away? If you want me to come with you, I will do so, let me just attend to my sister. Handle me gently and I will follow gently. Do not just push me.”
One of the officers shoved Mr Banda into the vehicle, which sped off to Woodlands Police Station.
The action left Mr Katolo dumbfounded.
“We are in the dark because we do not know what is happening. Let’s go the police station and hear what they have to say,” Mr Katolo said.
At the police station, Mr Banda was ushered into the criminal investigations division office before he was taken back to the reception, where he was ordered to remove his shoes and other personal effects.
Mr Banda was led to the holding cells around 16:30 hours.
Asked what was happening, Mr Banda raised his hands and responded: “Ati defamation of the President kwa Chipata? See you guys.”
And Mr Katolo described the arrest and detention of his client as “disorderly and uncalled for”.
“This is not the way things are supposed to be done. They were supposed to issue him with a call-out and if he refuses or fails to show up, that is when they can effect an arrest. It is extremely disappointing,” Mr Katolo said at Woodlands Police Station.
He said the police have informed him that his client would only be formally charged in Chipata but would be held at Woodlands Police Station awaiting transportation.
Another lawyer representing Mr Banda, Paul Katupisha, said it was improper for the police to arrest and detain his client without issuing a call-out first.