Tonse Alliance secretary general seeks court order for release after 14 days in custody
Tonse Alliance secretary general seeks court order for release after 14 days in custody
Tonse Alliance Secretary General Celestine Mukandila has asked the High Court to order his immediate release after spending 14 days in custody without appearing before a court or being granted police bond.
Lusaka, 2 August- Mr Mukandila was arrested by officers from the Immigration Department at his residence in Mapepe, Chilanga District, on August 20, 2026.
He was subsequently charged with unlawful possession of a National Registration Card and failure to disclose that he is a foreign national. Mr Mukandila denies the allegations.
In an affidavit supporting his application for leave to commence habeas corpus proceedings, Mr Mukandila says he has remained in custody despite repeatedly asking to be released on police bond.
He says he provided traceable sureties to facilitate his release but was allegedly informed that officers were waiting for further instructions before making a decision on his application for bond.
Mr Mukandila argues that his continued detention is unlawful and amounts to a violation of his constitutional rights, particularly because he has not been brought before a court during the 14 days he has spent in custody.
He further claims that the prolonged detention has placed his health and life at risk.
Through his application, Mr Mukandila is asking the court to direct the respondents to appear and show cause why he should not be released from custody and granted bond immediately.
A writ of habeas corpus is generally used to challenge the legality of a person’s detention and requires the detaining authority to justify the continued deprivation of liberty.
Mr Mukandila has cited the Attorney General as the first respondent and the Immigration Department as the second respondent.
-Nkanionline 2026 #NewsOnDemand