POLICE in Lusaka have arrested Patriotic Front Eastern Province Youth Chairperson Emmanuel J Banda, commonly known as Jay Jay and charged him with aggravated assault with intent to steal.

In an interview, Wednesday, police spokesperson Esther Katongo said Jay Jay was likely to appear in court on Thursday.

“He handed himself in today. He has been arrested and charged together with those four that were initially arrested. He has been charged with aggravated assault with intent to steal. He is likely to appear in court tomorrow,” said Katongo.

When asked if he had been granted bond, Katongo said, “Yes, he has been bonded”, without stating the conditions.

In July, Banda mobilised PF cadres and stormed Lusaka Central Police where they beat up some unsuspecting officers on duty and got away with an undisclosed amount of money, belonging to one of the officers.

Sources say the incident happened after the C5 anti-robbery squad shot and killed a suspect earlier, who happens to be a relative to Banda. The suspected robber died after sustaining four bullet wounds.

This infuriated the PF official who demanded to meet the officers involved in the shooting incident. However, the officers did not comply, prompting Banda to mobilise cadres and besiege the provincial police headquarters, with at least one visible firearm.

Banda has been on the run ever since.