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The High Court has dismissed an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) seeking to overturn the acquittal of Patriotic Front (PF) acting president, Given Lubinda, effectively leaving the earlier ruling fully intact.
The decision upholds the Subordinate Court’s judgment of April 18, 2024, which cleared Mr. Lubinda of four counts of possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.
The case involved four properties and more than US$280,000 alleged to be linked to criminal proceeds under Section 71(1) of the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act.
In the appeal, DPP Gilbert Phiri had urged the High Court—sitting as the Economic and Financial Crimes Court—to set aside the acquittal, arguing that the magistrate erred by accepting Mr. Lubinda’s explanation regarding the origin of the funds he was accused of receiving.
However, the Court ruled that there was no misdirection and that the prosecution failed to meet the legal threshold required to overturn an acquittal.
It found that the magistrate correctly evaluated the evidence and applied the law, concluding that the State had not proved the funds and properties were proceeds of crime.
Speaking in an exclusive interview from Kasama, where he had travelled for the burial of the town’s mayor, Lubinda said he received the decision with “deep relief,” adding that the outcome reaffirmed his long-held view that the allegations were baseless and politically driven.
Lubinda said the High Court’s judgment vindicated him and underscored the importance of judicial independence in politically charged matters.
He said the case had been used to weaken his political role and damage his public image.
He added that the ruling strengthened his resolve to participate in national affairs without intimidation and highlighted the need to protect individual rights in Zambia’s democracy.
Reacting to the outcome, United for Better Zambia (UBZ) Party President, Hector Soondo, said the decision confirmed that Mr. Lubinda was a “clean leader” who had been unfairly targeted. He praised the High Court for basing its ruling on evidence rather than political pressure.
“This judgment removes every doubt. It shows the man is clean. As UBZ Party, we are very happy that he has been cleared,” he said.
Soondo urged political actors to respect judicial decisions and refrain from using the justice system to settle political scores, stressing that accountability must be pursued lawfully and fairly.
Contributed by Francis Maingaila
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