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The Zambia Police has confirmed that former Transport Minister and Lunte lawmaker, Mutotwe Kafwaya, was shot dead during a reported intelligence-led joint security operation conducted in Kabulonga at Brian Mundubile’s residence on August 14, 2026.
Inspector General of Police, Graphel Musamba, said following social media reports of a missing person, efforts were made to establish the identity of the deceased.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday, Musamba said the operation was carried out around 19:30 hours by a Joint Task Force team that included the Drug Enforcement Commission.
He said family members were called this evening and have positively identified the body as that of Kafwaya.
“The operation was mounted after intelligence was gathered following the recovery of K7.3 million in a previous task force operation in Lusaka. Security wings had also been monitoring activities by individuals of national interest suspected to pose a threat to national security since November 2023,” Musamba said.
He said upon arrival at the premises, the team was met with gunfire and resistance from unknown individuals and in the process the task force returned fire, during which one unidentified male person was fatally wounded and a firearm was recovered.
Musamba said the person was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
“A total of eleven (11) persons were apprehended at the premises. Among them are three former commandos with specialised special forces skills, and two retired police officers, one of whom served with the Flying Squad (C5),” he said.
Musamba said the suspects were being held in connection with alleged offences relating to treason and any other offences that may be established during investigations.
“They have been named as: Mr. Brazil Soko, aged 56; Mr. Jackson Mutyoka, 41; Mr. Bernard Chewe, 41; Mr. Simon Phiri, 43; Mr. Richard Banda, 49; Mr. George Kangwa Chisanga, 59; Mr. Trevor Mwamba, 68; Mr. Francis Mulenga, 26; Mr. Emmanuel Mulenga, 56; Mr. Patrick Mwansa, 39 and Mr. Darius Mwila, 57,” he said.
Musamba said the Joint Task Force recovered several items during the search, including firearms and ammunition which were a high-grade military-version automatic UZI weapons, and five AK-47 rifles with 60 rounds of ammunition.
Others were: one Zastava pistol, four Beretta magazines, one bulletproof vest, one commando dagger, and gun maintenance equipment.
Also listed were: military-version binoculars with night-vision capability, tactical gloves, taser-type devices, Baofeng walkie-talkies, a DVR and video splitter, electronic and ICT devices and several devices which have been secured for forensic examination.
Musamba said all recovered materials were undergoing detailed investigation to establish ownership, source, intended use and possible connection to the alleged offences.
Read More: Kafwaya’s wife seeks High Court order to produce former Lunte MP over alleged detention
“CJOC assured the public that the operation was conducted in the interest of national security and that there is no intention to target individuals based on political affiliation, occupation or status. All suspects will be accorded their constitutional rights and investigations will be conducted professionally and impartially,” he said.
Musamba urged members of the public to remain calm and avoid speculation or circulation of unverified information adding that further updates would be provided as investigations progress.
Earlier, the wife to Kafwaya, had asked the Lusaka High Court to order authorities to produce her husband before court and explain the legal basis for his alleged continued detention following a security raid in Lusaka.
Dinis Ng’andu Kafwaya had applied for leave to commence habeas corpus proceedings during the court vacation, arguing that her husband’s whereabouts remained undisclosed and that his continued detention required urgent judicial scrutiny.
In an intended affidavit filed in support of the application, Mrs Kafwaya said her husband was apprehended on August 13 during a security operation at the Kabulonga residence of NRPUP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile.
She alleged that a combined team of Zambia Army and Zambia Police Service officers, including members of a commando unit, raided the residence and took away Mr Kafwaya, Mundubile and other people who were present.
Mrs Kafwaya said her husband was subsequently taken to an undisclosed location and that the family was not informed of his whereabouts, the reasons for his apprehension or any offence he was suspected of committing.
She said persistent efforts by the family to locate him later established that he had been taken by police and other State actors to an unknown location.
This week, however, the Ministry of Defence denied reports that former Lunte Lawmaker was shot and admitted to Maina Soko Military Hospital.
Permanent Secretary, Maambo Haamaundu, said the ministry had checked with hospital management and found no record of Kafwaya being treated at the facility in the last 48 hours.
The denial came after National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity running mate, Makebi Zulu, alleged on Saturday via Facebook that Kafwaya was in critical condition at Maina Soko after suffering two gunshot wounds to the chest, allegedly inflicted by the military.
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