By Esther Chisola
Jailed former Defence minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba has told the Lusaka High Court that he has four terminal illnesses namely, colon cancer, diabetes, hypertension (low and high) and pulmonary embolism.
Mwamba, also known as GBM, has also told the court that following his conviction, he had not been accorded an opportunity to seek medical treatment for prostate cancer, rheumatic heart disease, heart rhythm disorders and congenital heart disease or any of the other ailments mentioned herein.
According to an affidavit in support of ex-parte summons for admission to bail pending hearing and determination of the appeal by the High court, Mwamba submitted that prior to his incarceration, he was undergoing specialised medical treatment for prostate cancer (ductal adenocarcinoma), rheumatic heart disease, heart rhythm disorders, and congenital heart disease in India and South Africa respectively.
He submitted that he underwent high dose Brachytherapy in South Africa in 2017 and prior to his conviction, he used to consistently go for further treatment in the said country.
“That I underwent surgery in India in 2022 for colon cancer and prior to my conviction I used to consistently go for further treatment in the same country. Following my incarceration, I did make an application for bail pending appeal primarily citing my deteriorating health. That this court declined to grant me bail in a ruling dated November 15, 2024,” he stated.
Mwamba contended that following his continued deterioration of his health he filed a petition in the High Court praying for a declaration that his imprisonment does not take away his right to any form of medical treatment or services.
He also demanded for a mandatory order compelling the state to immediately evacuate him to South Africa and India for specialised medical treatment and an order allowing him in the company of one prison officer to travel to South Africa and India for specialised medical treatment at his own cost.
“That the Kasama High Court in its Judgement granted the above relief,” he stated.
Mwamba further submitted that following the judgement, the state and his advocates’ entered into a consent judgement pending the production of a medical report, his immediate evacuation for treatment to SA or India was sanctioned.
He submitted that the medical report post extensive tests had not been produced by the state even after frantic efforts from his legal team to retrieve it.
“That in spite of the concealed medical report, Minister Home Affairs Jack Mwiimbu did on February 25, 2025, issue a statement to the effect that I was lined up for emergent evacuation save for complications that his ministry was dealing with would be receiving hospital Milpark in South Africa,” he stated.
“That following frenetic efforts to facilitate my evacuation to South Africa, it has become apparent that the host medical facilities of my treatment have become resistant to having armed security officers accompany me whilst I receive treatment.”
Mwamba further stated that the doctors attending to him at Maina Soko military hospital as he awaits his evacuation had warned after some tests that there are indications that his prostate cancer could be advancing.
He submitted that it had become necessary to renew his bail applications as this was the only way that would negate his need to travel with security personnel which was the current inhibiting factor to his evacuation.
“Since the ruling of this court, the following has happened which is worth having the bail application being given a second lease of life. My health has deteriorated due to receiving the necessary medical attention unavailable in Zambia thus necessitating my emergency evacuation for the preservation of my life,” stated Mwamba.
