Former Defence Minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) has pleaded with the Economic and Financial Crimes Court (EFCC) for bail pending appeal, stating that his prostate cancer is advancing and requires urgent attention.
Mwamba has renewed his application, stating that his prostate cancer is advancing and that he has not been able to access the specialized treatment he previously received in South Africa and India.
In his affidavit, Mwamba, currently at Mwembeshi Prison, detailed his medical history, highlighting multiple serious health conditions, including prostate cancer (ductal adenocarcinoma), rheumatic heart disease, heart rhythm disorders, congenital heart disease, colon cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and pulmonary embolism.
He noted that he had previously undergone high-dose brachytherapy in South Africa in 2017 and surgery for colon cancer in India in 2022, with regular follow-ups before his conviction.
Mwamba argued that despite a Kasama High Court ruling granting him the right to medical treatment, as well as a consent judgment between his legal team and the state approving his evacuation for treatment, logistical challenges, specifically security arrangements at the receiving hospital, Milpark, have prevented his transfer.
He further stated that doctors at Maina Soko Military Hospital, where he is currently held, have warned that his prostate cancer may be advancing.
Given these circumstances, he contended that bail is the only viable option to facilitate his treatment without the need for security personnel to accompany him.
Mwamba’s legal team has also cited additional grounds for renewing his bail application, including the deterioration of his health, new evidence that could impact his appeal and the fact that the five-month window for a fast-tracked appeal has lapsed.
He assured the court that he poses no flight risk and is willing to comply with any conditions imposed.
