Zambian MP Emmanuel Banda Arrested in Zimbabwe

Emmanuel 'Jay Jay' Banda, a Zambian lawmaker facing serious charges including aggravated robbery, was arrested in Zimbabwe after escaping custody in August. Banda fled from Chipata Central Hospital while awaiting trial, leading to a nationwide manhunt and a bounty of 2 million Zambian kwacha ($72,000) for his capture. He was apprehended in Harare, where he had been renting a flat, and is currently pending extradition back to Zambia. Zambian Home Affairs Minister Jack Mwiimbu has expressed gratitude to Zimbabwean authorities for their cooperation and indicated a desire to investigate those involved in Banda's escape. The opposition Patriotic Front party has criticized the arrest as politically motivated, claiming it constitutes an