By Tatenda Chitagu

HARARE-On Thursday, Zimbabwe and Zambia-two countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) with a diplomatic tiff-woke up to the news that fugitive Zambian lawmaker Emmanuel ‘Jay Jay’ Banda had been arrested after 106 days on the run.

Banda, who was wanted by Zambian authorities for robbery, stands accused of having escaped from custody in August as he awaited to appear in court.

He is alleged to have escaped through a window at Chipata Central Hospital in Eastern Province following his admission at the health facility under police guard.

He had a bounty of 2m Zambian kwacha (US$72,000; £57,000) on his head.

Speaking at a press conference Wednesday, the Zambian minister for Home Affairs Jack Mwiimbu said Banda was arrested by Zimbabwean police at a flat he had been renting the day before and would remain there pending extradition formalities.

But according to News Diggers, a Zambian online publication, Zimbabwe refused to hand over Banda after the arrest.

On its website, the online publication adds that Mwiimbu jumped the gun by announcing the capture, which had not yet happened.

Fact-Checking the Claim

To verify the claim, ZimTracker consulted multiple reliable sources and cross-reference information. Key sources in this case include:

Official Statements: Statements from the Zambian Police Service provide official accounts of the arrest and extradition process.

The state controlled Herald, has reported on the incident, corroborating the official statements.

International Police (Interpol): Interpol’s involvement in the case highlights the international cooperation between law enforcement agencies.

Verdict

Based on the available evidence, it is clear that the claim that Zimbabwe refused to extradite Banda is unfounded. It is not true that the Zimbabwean authorities did a ‘catch and release stunt’ and refused to hand over Banda. The official statements from both countries and the involvement of Interpol indicate a collaborative approach to the extradition process. News Diggers’ report appears to have been based on inaccurate or incomplete information.