Zambia Police is asking the general public to help them find the son of former President Rupiah Banda, Henry, whom they need for urgent questioning. In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, acting police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said that “call outs” or “orders” have been issued for Henry through his representatives but he has not responded to them by reporting to police, as required by the law.
“We are appealing to members of the public who may know the whereabouts of Henry to come forth and tell us where he is,” Mr Hamoonga said.
The police spokesperson also confirmed that Henry has already appeared “once before police” for questioning but declined to explain why the police were interested in the former President’s son saying any disclosure could “jeorpadise” investigations.
Mr Hamoonga said the search for Henry has been going on for a while now, without much success. “I cannot give you any further details because it will jeopardise the probe. We don’t want to cause alarm,” Mr Hamoonga said.
Mr Hamoonga said the police will take “further action” if Henry does not hand himself over to the police sooner than later. The action was not specified.
Initially, Lusaka lawyer Sakwiba Sikota had been handed Henry’s summons after officers failed to find him but Mr Sikota told the newspaper: “Henry Banda is not my client…I don’t know how the police made this mistake but I will try and see if I can give the call-out to someone who may know where to take it…I have not been able to find him myself because he is not my client.”
Henry’s name has been popping up every time RP Capital – the company single-sourced to evaluate Zamtel assets – has been raised alleging that himself and Petauke member of Parliament Dora Siliya “engineered” the US$2.5million transaction.
Facts remain vague but newspaper reports in the past further suggested that Mr Banda and the outspoken Petauke legislator could have “illegally” put the deal together.
Zambia Daily Mail efforts to reach Henry failed yesterday but sources suggested that the former President’s son could have relocated to South Africa after his father lost office to President Michael Sata.
Home Affairs Minister Kennedy Sakeni, when reached via phone yesterday, said: “I think I would rather leave this issue (of Henry) at this stage in the hands of the police…if I comment, it may appear as if I am interfering. The police must explain what has happened, not me as Minister of Home Affairs.”
Although his public profile was not as high as that of his older brother, James, during his father’s administration, Henry is reputed by those close to him such as friends and admirers as the “business architect” of the former first family who could have tied together, among others, the RP Capital deal.
Transparency International Zambia president Reuben Lifuka in an interview yesterday told the Daily Mail: “Henry must immediately report to police and answer charges and clear his name instead of staying away because that can be misinterpreted to mean a lot of things.”
Mr Lifuka said being summoned to police does not mean: “You are guilty at all. It simply means police need help with investigations and staying away just frustrates investigations in my view. It can also compel police to take extreme measures.”
Police have not stated what the next step will be but lawyers interviewed by the Daily Mail suggested that a warrant of arrest could be issued with Henry’s name on it if the absence persists without a legally acceptable explanation.
President Sata has embarked on a corruption fight which he says will not spare friends, relatives or members of his own Government as he tries to create jobs and fight poverty.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Nice photograph ba LT. Nantwenekane ilemoneka!
Just issue a warrant of arrest naimwe!
Was seen in sa on the 9th of december planning to go to the states buying beers like no mans business home afairs should have records of ins and outs
Dr Malama, why do you want others to do the job for you when you have thousands of policemen who can easily trace the whereabouts of this rafian…whats wrong with the zambian police service…you summon someone and he doesnt show up!!!! go and find him and charge him……*****s.
HE IS EVEN BRAGGADOCIOUS WHEREVER HE IS….
photo caption:the good old days oh yeeees!
After all this, I’m praying that Sata and his entire team DO NOT COMMIT ANY ABUSE while they are in office. Because if they do that and someone else comes into State House – which will happend at sometime whether they like it or not – they will be in deep shit, some of them might even die from harrassment. They must be very careful. I’m not saying whatever they are doing is wrong, I just think that this amount of chasing and judging others publicly in the media even before they enter court is not good and I hope PF themselves live a CLEAN life in government, otherwise some of them will not enjoy the aftermath after they leave power. Every party leaves power at one point or another, and it is unlikely PF will last as long as MMD did in power. All the signs are there. Be mindful…
But that is the way it`s supposed to be. There are people who have refused to get into politics because you will at one time or the other be forced to get your hands dirty.
Don`t go to steal simply because you are a minister. If PF guys do what MMD did, I would be calling for their heads.
Very True….
uluse
i met him at starbucks monte casino yesterday,he`s realy having a nice time so you are even looking for him?
# 1 Italian Bunga Bunga (Original) Walikwata ilinso! You have already spotted itwendikani. I had to struggle to see what you saw. These RB CURBS were becoming ruthless. He got the idea from Gadaffi?
# 1 Italian Bunga Bunga (Original) Walikwata ilinso! You have already spotted itwendikani. I had to struggle to see what you saw. These RB CURBS were becoming ruthless. He got the idea from Gadaffi?
There is no need to put this news in the media by police….its their job to look for a culprit and not transmit the news to everyone…Anyway the airports should be a good source to find out if he flew out or he is still around…the problem is that we dont have machines to scan bar codes and keep records of fly outs and ins of people and no CCTV to view in case he flew under another ID…poor Zed
We do have scanners at KK International bwana; even on some border posts they have installed scanners for passports. The information is there pa Zed, there are no implementers; simples!!
Zambia police, do your job. Stop rushing to the media till all is done. Is it now a new culture that the media is now like police itself or you just want to get your pictures in the daily papers and get paid for nothing. Probe…………look for the Banda dude and cage him if he is found wanting. The problem people won report to your offices is that you end up arresting even someone that should be helping you in your investigations.
@ we do not want to cause alarm ……….ala when your president causes alarms on daily bases.
please bring him to book they were to boastfull even RBS brother james
Another one that will bite the dust. One by one Sata is hunting them down. Plunderers of GRZ cash.
Police looking for Henry Banda, what about Mulenga Sata? The IG Dr Malama, shud be very careful period.
@Gokigo Milazhe:
Who is trying who in the media? The police and home affairs minister have all refused to comment because of on-going investigations. All they are asking is Banda Jr. to turn himself in, or people who knows his whereabouts to alert law enforcement wings. So what is wrong with that? And you really want to call that “trail of suspects in the media!”
By the way, it is the media’s responsibility to ask questions anytime and every time there is an “interesting piece of news” going around. That’s the media’s job. It is what is needed if we are going to achieve any semblance of transparency in our young democracy—the media houses need to be on their toes to chase down stories and ask penetrating questions. This sort of journalism goes on everywhere, so chill!!!
wasosa bwino sana
The wife surely should know where he is, or is there house locked????
Is Reuben Lifuka part of the prosecution?
He is, it seems
RB will definitely tell him to go to the cops. RB is that liberal by my reckoning. He will tell the son ‘nkhoya, kwa akopokola. Kuliye choyopa apa’.
lol…
Get an arrest Warranty you Chaps! You are just scared of him period. Send C5 for him he is a Robber just like any other Robber!
Any reward for handing in the fugitive?
People who condemn the police for asking the public to help trace Henry Banda are being unrealistic, police anywhere in the world make such appeals, what’s wrong with that?
its called intelligency….u need pipo to give info
If I see him, I will let the police know. In the meantime, why doesn’t ZP issue an international arrest warrant. Clearly he is out of the country and other nations with more sophisticated surveillance (Eg; CCTV, strict border controls) will track him down more easily. No country in the 21st century wants to be seen harbouring suspected money launderers (incl in Africa), so they will extradite him back almost immediately!
It’s like the police has been given (or gave themselves) powers to procecute people in the media.
Henry’s wife are agemates with Thandiwe ka??
We are bred with police incompetency. If he has run out of Zambia, issue interpol arrest warrant. If he is within Zambia, then shut up and dont exhibit you incompetency to the public. Its your duty to find him and not us. Did you brief the nation when you first summoned him? You let him loose and create sensational news as Old Chief Cop showing as if at work when you are only playing to the gallery.
Spot on.
Witch hunting, witch hunting. Even if they have a case against Banda, the way they are going about is characteristic of witch hunting. Why go ask the Home Affairs minister, for instance? This is like mob justice. The police can simply follow it up witth Banda’s family, check border controls and involve Interpol if the money has left the country.
We need both law and order.
ZP is part of Interpo..If Jamie RB is in RSA, GRZ can request Jamie be deported back to LK. It is as simple as that..But as we know this is grand stage management by ZP and PF. I’m watching and enjoying the show.
@23 Jane – International arrest warrant for what? The man has not even been charged with anything. These are mere cheap tactics to hoodwink Zambians – do not fall for it. Use your voice to champion cases for development etc. Do not jump on the band wagon of hating the Banda boys – they have been running successful businesses for many many years and they are well exposed and highly educated. All this noise will come to nothing.
They may have been running their business for some time and are highly educated,the thing is that the RB boys involved them selvies in corrupt doings eg Zamtel.They can be highly educated but they ar corrupt kids.
They may have been running their business for some time and are highly educated,the thing is that the RB boys involved them selvies in corrupt doings eg Zamtel.They can be highly educated but they ar corrupt kids.RB’s kids and chi Dora should pay back even 1 ngwee they corrected from the sell of Zamtel it is our company.
jumbo jumbo… can you prove that these boys stole?
@ Cindy – the man is wanted by zambia police for questioning. If he has indeed left the country, then issue an int’l arrest warrant. he has been summoned and failed to appear before the police – that is contempt.
Zambians have very short memories – these are the same ppl who blatantly and dis-respectfully squandered YOUR hard earned tax to make themselves rich! In the meantime, there is no panadol at UTH.
Cindy – either you have a good job and can afford to have pvt medical care and send you kids to good pvt school, or you can afford to have 3 meals a day and drive/be driven to work – you still paid very high taxes though which banda and sons has squandered. majority of zambians can’t even afford 3 meals a day, can’t afford pvt healthcare, our schools are in shambles!
The police, in some cases, do ask for public help the world over! Zambians please get informed.
Even if i see him which number do i use to call the police to come and arrest him.Do they even have transport to quickly dash and arrest him?
#33 Calm down Sisie, When Henry Banda was first summoned and released what arrangements were put in place? Did they get his passport, address of his home? contact number? Police can not be found wanting over this issue? What will happen to Liato whaen he disappears or Mwale, Kunda, Konga, Siliya etc. Not fit for purpose ni incopetence iyi yeka yeka. Police have to be locked up with failure to manage suspects and people under trial. Not locking them up but make them available when need be.
Mrs Henry Banda!!!! Tetimwafisako ka machine sure?
@36 NDU NDU NDU: You’re very right – the police are either extremely incompetent or part of the scheme to help Henry escape, PERIOD!
Henry my brother enjoy your cash and when we are back come back. We will make you Chief Prosecutor so you can cut all PF mapolos
Harassment