COURT REFUSES TO RELEASE XAVIER CHUNGU ON BAIL

Brave Heart Newsroom | 14th July 2026

The Lusaka High Court has once again refused to grant bail to former Zambia Security Intelligence Service Director General Xavier Chungu, meaning he will remain in custody as his criminal trial continues.

High Court Judge Lameck Mwale said the court could not release Mr. Chungu because the Director of Public Prosecutions, Gilbert Phiri, had issued a Certificate of Denial of Bail.

The judge explained that although the offence covered by the certificate is normally bailable, the court had no legal authority to grant bail while the certificate remains in force.

JUST TO UNLOCK YOUR MIND: Mr. Chungu is facing several charges, including allegations that he disclosed intelligence-related information during a podcast recorded in Lusaka on May 24, 2026. Prosecutors also accuse him of making seditious remarks after allegedly claiming that those in power were the only opposition group that had attempted to rig elections.

Intelligence information is generally regarded as some of the most sensitive information held by any country. 

It can include details about national security operations, intelligence gathering methods, identities of agents, international security cooperation, counter-terrorism activities, military capabilities and confidential assessments of potential threats. 

Authorities argue that unauthorised disclosure of such information can compromise ongoing operations, endanger the lives of intelligence officers and informants, damage diplomatic and security relations with other countries, and potentially expose national security vulnerabilities. For that reason, many countries, including Zambia, have laws restricting the disclosure of classified intelligence information.

Before his arrest, Mr. Chungu had announced his intention to contest the August 13, 2026 General Election under the Liberal Democrats Party. However, he later withdrew his candidature and endorsed Brian Mundubile, the presidential candidate for the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP).

[Brave Heart News  | UnlockingMinds]