The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has dismissed an application for bail pending appeal by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Malanji, ruling that he remains in lawful custody as his appeal against conviction and sentence proceeds.
Mr Malanji was convicted to four years’ imprisonment with hard labour In September 2025 on seven counts of possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.
In her ruling Friday held in chambers, Chief Resident Magistrate Irene Wishimanga found that the Applicant had failed to establish exceptional circumstances warranting the grant of bail.
The Court held that the intended appeal did not disclose strong prospects of success and that the alleged risk of serving a substantial portion of the sentence was speculative and dismissed the application.
By Josphat Hamakala
