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The Court of Appeal has stayed proceedings before the Economic and Financial Crimes Court, a matter in which the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is seeking forefeiture of 15 double story flats owned by former First Lady, Esther Lungu, for being tainted property.
The stay is pending determination of the appeal in which the former first lady contested the ruling of the Crimes Court rendered on December 11, 2023.
The EFCC in its ruling of March 11, 2024, refused to stay the proceedings because Lungu (interested party) had not demonstrated exceptional circumstances to grant the stay of proceedings as opposed to having the case concluded and arising grievances taken up on a single appeal.
The interested party through her lawyers appealed against the ruling.
When the main matter came up for hearing on Thursday before a three member panel of Judges; Yangailo, Ian Mabbolobbolo and Vincent Siloka, the court received an order from the Court of Appeal staying the proceedings.
The hearing was cut short.
Lungu who was in appearance was represented by lead lawyer Dessislava Findlay of D. Findlay & Associates, Legal Practitioners.
The former first lady raised five grounds of appeal among others, that the EFCC erred in law and in fact in failing to pronounce itself on the appellant’s notice of motion to raise objection on the contents of the Respondent’s affidavit in opposition to the said or set aside for irregularity.
The said flats located in State Lodge area are estimated to be worth K24 million .
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