Zambia’s former First Lady, Esther Lungu, and her daughter Chiyeso Katete have been arrested for the alleged possession of properties believed to have been acquired through criminal activities.
According to the BBC, the mother, and daughter were apprehended in the capital, Lusaka, on Thursday, May 30, 2024, along with another close relative named Charles Phiri,
Ms Lungu “failed to give a reasonable explanation” of how she acquired a $1.5m (£1.2m) estate in the capital, the state anti-drug agency said.
The 66-year-old ex-first lady was arrested on suspicion of fraudulently acquiring a luxurious real estate in Lusaka, the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) said in a statement.
It said Esther Lungu owned “15 white double-story flats” situated in the State Lodge area of Lusaka’s Chongwe town, “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime”.
The exact date the property, owned jointly with other unknown people, was acquired was not clear but the DEC said it was bought between 2015 and 2023.
The DEC said her daughter was faced with additional charges of acquiring another three flats estate in Lusaka, suspected to have been bought fraudulently.
“Further, she was arrested for possession of 1 high-cost house, four chicken runs, and associated external works in the property,” the agency added.
They were all released on bond, said Mr Lungu, adding that they were safe at home after being questioned by DEC officials for several hours on Thursday.
Another of Lungu’s daughters, Tasila, is facing separate but related charges, according to the DEC.
She has been ordered, through her lawyers, to appear at the DEC on Monday.
Meanwhile, this is not the first the Esther Lungu will get arrested as she was taken in custody last September over corruption allegations, involving cases of theft of motor vehicles and title deeds, which she denied.
Former President Edgar Lungu’s Reaction To His Wife And Daughter’s Arrest
Former President Edgar Lungu stated that the family intends to contest the accusations in a court of law.
He has been accusing the government of victimizing him and members of his Patriotic Front (PF) party to prevent his political comeback before the 2026 elections.
He recently disclosed that he had been placed under house arrest due to his increased political activity, but the government refuted this.
The politician told the BBC that he had been barred from going for medical check-ups and stopped his morning jogging after police told him he could not leave his house.
“Recently, they took me out of a plane where I was supposed to travel for a conference,” he added.
Police chief Graphel Musamba said it was standard procedure to monitor the movements of the former leader “strictly for his safety”.
“Should Lungu fail to inform us of his movements, we will still ensure his protection by monitoring his activities, as we must do so”. Musamba added.
Lungu said he had been subject to numerous unconstitutional actions by the state since leaving office.
He said police were under instructions to “ambush me at night, abduct, embarrass, and forcefully detain me like a hardcore criminal”.
“As far as I am aware, I have not committed any crime that would warrant the government, through the police, to start scheming against me in this manner,” Lungu added.
What To Know
Edgar Lungu announced a comeback to politics last October, prompting the government to withdraw his retirement benefits. He retired from politics after losing the presidency to Hakainde Hichilema in 2021.
After six years in office, the former president left the southern African country heavily in debt and with a precarious economy.
Several former ministers, government officials, and members of Lungu’s family have been on the radar of Zambia’s investigative agencies in an anti-corruption campaign launched by President Hichilema.
Hichilema has vowed to recover all resources allegedly looted while Lungu was in power.
