Zambia charges five Egyptians with espionage over mystery plane case

Five Egyptian nationals are on trial in Zambia over alleged espionage concerning a private jet seized in Lusaka's Kenneth Kaunda Airport earlier this month by the local authorities, reportedly carrying US$5.7 million in cash and hundreds of pieces of suspected gold bars.

Zambia's Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) also charged six Zambian nationals, including a senior police officer, with similar accusations, Egyptian state-run Al-Ahram reported Tuesday. The first trial session was held on Monday.

The Lusaka court had decided earlier last week to remand the private jet's crew in custody and separate them from the five Egyptian suspects, the passengers aboard. The charges against the flight crew remain unclear, though.

The pilot of the private jet is of Egyptian origin and lived in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, but he entered Zambia with a Saint Kitts and Nevis passport, according to Zambian news outlets.

In comments to the press about a week ago, Zambia's president, Hakainde Hichilema, vowed to arrest and prosecute everyone involved in the incident.

If proven guilty, defendants could face up to 30 years in prison per Zambian law.  

Local Egyptian news outlets reported earlier that high-level coordination had been underway between the two countries to solve the crisis.

The concerned authorities in Egypt could not be reached for comment at publication.

Following the arrest of the 11 suspects, the French law firm Antoine Vey & Associates demanded in a  statement the immediate release of suspects, accusing the Zambian officials of violating the country's constitution and disregarding due process by seizing a private aircraft and its crew and passengers.

The company alleged a narrative different from the Zambian account of events, claiming the private jet was in transit at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport for refuelling and picking up another passenger before heading to its final destination in South Africa when a group of gunmen attempted to board the plane.

The statement further claimed that the crew made a distress call, asking for the help of the local security officials.

"However, the Zambian authorities detained the flight passengers, confiscating the cash and sophisticated mineral testing equipment on board destined for the business activities of aircraft lease," the firm alleged.

It remains unclear which of the 11 suspects the firm represents.

Unconfirmed reports indicated that the plane carried on board high-level Egyptian security officials. A few days after the aircraft had been seized, an Egyptian investigative outlet named 'Matsada2sh' reportedly unveiled the identities of the Egyptian nationals who had been on board the plane, including a senior Egyptian military officer. 

Shortly afterwards, a reporter with 'Matsada2sh' named Karim Asaad was exposed to intimidation by being detained and taken to an undisclosed location. Asaad was released less than 48 hours after the outcry of local and international free press and human rights advocates.