A 15-year-old Grade 10 pupil of Lusaka has sued the State for allegedly detaining her for over a week without being formally charged. The girl, whose identity is being withheld for being a minor and will be referred to as Chansa, wants the Lusaka High Court to order police to release her on constitutional bail

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A 15-year-old Grade 10 pupil of Lusaka has sued the State for allegedly detaining her for over a week without being formally charged.

The girl, whose identity is being withheld for being a minor and will be referred to as Chansa, wants the Lusaka High Court to order police to release her on constitutional bail from Kabwata Police Station.

Chansa filed the petition through her father, who will be identified by the pseudonym Mr. Chilu.

In a petition filed this week, Chansa submits that she was arrested on Sept. 21, 2026, and detained in an adult cell at Kabwata Police Station.

Mr. Chilu argues that a child shall not be taken into custody except as a measure of last resort or for a period exceeding 48 hours and, where a child is not released, arrangements must be made for the juvenile to be detained separately from adults.

He adds that his daughter is a Grade 10 pupil and should not be detained with adults, and that continued detention will disadvantage her education and welfare.

“I offer to stand as surety, my daughter is of fixed abode in Kabwata,” Mr. Chilu states.

He has asked the court to grant her bail in the best interests of the child.

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