A 26-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with attempted murder following the shooting of a retired military officer in an incident that has shocked the Lusaka community.
Abigail Kalyabanyama of Nyumba Yanga has been formally charged by police in connection with the shooting of 53-year-old Brigadier General John Banda (Retired), which occurred late on the night of July 26, 2025, behind Crossroads Mall in Kabulonga.
Police say the two, who were reportedly in a relationship, had spent the day together after Mr Banda picked up Kalyabanyama from her residence in Nyumba Yanga and drove to Palabana.
But tensions flared later that night on their way back.”At around 23:30 hours, the two had a disagreement while heading back to Lusaka,” said Assistant Public Relations Officer Godfrey Chilabi in a press statement.
“Brigadier General Banda (Retired) parked his vehicle behind Crossroads Mall and refused to proceed until the issue was resolved,” he said.
Mr Chilabi explained that during the argument, Banda allegedly retrieved a firearm from the vehicle and fired a shot at Kalyabanyama, missing her and striking the car.
He added that in the altercation that followed, Kalyabanyama is believed to have grabbed the weapon and shot the retired officer twice in the back of the head.
He stated that emergency responders arrived shortly after and found the victim lying in a pool of blood next to his loaded pistol, with spent cartridges scattered nearby. Mr Chilabi the victim was rushed to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), where he remains admitted , saying his condition has since been described as stable.
“This is a deeply troubling case involving the use of a firearm during a domestic dispute,” Mr Chilabi said. “
He said suspect is in custody and will be appearing in court soon for the offence of attempted murder.
“The charge falls under Section 215(b), Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia,” Mr Chilabi stated.