In this audio excerpt from South Africa’s Radio 702FM, Zambia’s High Commissioner Emmanuel Mwamba takes a grilling as he answers complicated questions about Hakainde Hichilema’s treason case and the country’s decision to deport DA leader Mmusi Maimane.

He argues that international media was trivialising Hichilema’s treason case by basing it on the Presidential motorcade incident in Mongu.

When the interviewer asks him how a parking violation could amount to treason in Zambia, Mwamba explains that the treason charge against Hichilema was based on events dating back to October 2016.

The interviewer then asks Mwamba if the Zambian judiciary was so fragile that allowing one foreign person into the country to witness trial could affect the court’s decisions.

Defending the government’s approach not to let Maimane step out of the plane, Mwamba explained that it was common practice for immigration authorities across the world to enter an arriving airplane to send back an unwanted passenger, adding that it was also happening even in South Africa.

But the interviewer argues with Mwamba that South African authorities never enter a foreign aircraft to deport people, but instead waits for the passenger to proceed to the immigration desk where they are denied an entry Visa.

Take a listen:

Earlier yesterday, Mwamba addressed international media at his office, explaining why Maimane was not allowed in Zambia.