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The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has applied to the Economic and Crimes Court, seeking an order for the forfeiture of properties belonging to former President Edgar Lungu’s wife, Esther, and his daughters, Tasila and Chiyeso.
According to a notice of motion filed in the Economic and Financial Crimes Court, the intended properties to be forefeited to the State are suspected to have been acquired through proceeds of crime.
Among the properties is a 15 double storey flats located in State Lodge belonging to the former First Lady, Esther, valued at K24 million.
The State further wants to forfeit Chiyeso’s two properties worth K9 million situated in State Lodge and Tasila’s farm in Sinda district valued at about K8 million.
According to investigations conducted by Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) senior investigations officer, Emmanuel Khondowe, the trio’s known income was far below the value of the properties in question.
Khondowe submitted that the former First Lady’s income and expenditure between August 1, 2012 to August 16,2022 revealed an income of K3,104,487.14 against an expenditure of K2,511,117.09 with a variation of K593,370.05.
“I did a comparison of the known income of K3,104,487.14 against the four properties with the 15 value at K24,256,434.55 which showed a variation of K21,151,947.41 above her known income,” he stated.
The investigations officer stated that from a summation of all Tasila’s allowances and earnings as Councilor in Kanyama constituency between 2016 to 2021, she earned less than K184,966.41.
He further contended that according to the declared assets,Tasila owned assets worth K6,130,505.58.
He submitted her known income for the period August 11,2015 to August 31, 2021 was K867,800.08 while the farm no.F/2278 was valued at K8,540,098.00.
He said the estimated cost for the construction of the structures, fish ponds and other related works at the said property as at November 2022, was K13,950,378.83.
In a notice of motion relating to Chiyeso, Khondowe submitted that despite her being the shareholder and director in Crest Lodge, the only disposable income the company made was K3,237,058.10.
“The known income and known expenditure for the period January 2, 2018 to June 3,2023 was income of K2,143,184.41 against an expenditure of K2,138,920 with a variation of K4,264.13. I did a comparison of the known income of K2,143,184.41 against the two properties value at K9,375,438.62 which showed a variation of K7,232,254.49 above the interested party known income,” he stated.
Khondowe explained that the former first lady acquired the flats between 2013 and 2021 and the property was on a 99-year state lease from July 1, 2015.
He stated that a senior Registrar at the Ministry of Lands, a Mr Andrea Chuni in a statement stated that the properties no. CHONG/LN 9334/1, 9334/2,9334/3 and 9334/4 was on a 99-year state lease from July 1, 2015 to the former First Lady.
In the Esther Lungu Foundation Trust account held at FNB, it had a total debit entries worth about K14,054,098.27 between November 3, 2015 and 31st August 2022 which were mainly bank charges, salaries and project funding among other expenses.
He submitted, “that there were total credit entries worth gross total of about K19,459,606.86 and that in this amount,there were placements of about K3,000,000 and US$20,356.70 into fixed deposit accounts which did not in any way benefit the first interested party in her personal capacity ,”
He emphasised section 71 of the forefeiture of proceeds of crimes Act.no 10 of the laws of Zambia was a serious offences.
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