The authorities in Zambia have recently made significant arrests, including the son and daughter-in-law of former President Edgar Lungu, on charges of money laundering and possessing property suspected to be proceeds of crime valued at over $5 million.
According to a report by New Delhi Times, Lungu’s Patriotic Front Party has criticized the government, viewing the arrests as an ongoing persecution of the Lungu family.
Zambia Police spokesperson, Rae Hamoonga, revealed on Tuesday that Dalitso Lungu and his wife, Matildah, were apprehended in their capacity as directors of Saloid Traders Limited. The couple is accused of owning 69 motor vehicles and various other properties believed to have been acquired through illegal means.
Hamoonga stated, “Police have arrested and charged Dalitso, aged 36, and Matilda Likando Milinga, aged 36, for the offense of possession of properties suspected to be proceeds of crime, contrary to Section 71 of the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act of 2010. Dalitso Lungu has also been arrested and charged for the offense of money laundering. The duo has since been released from police custody and will appear in court soon.”
These arrests come after the recent announcement of the seizure of approximately 20 properties connected to Dalitso, former President Lungu’s wife, Esther, and daughter Tasila.
Dalitso and his wife have been released on bail pending their upcoming court appearance, as confirmed by their lawyer, Brian Mundubile. Mundubile emphasized the importance of treating the Lungus with dignity, considering their previous status as the first family, and criticized the arrests as unnecessary and aimed at harassment. He urged the government to clarify its intentions regarding the family instead of subjecting them to embarrassment.
Sampa Kalunga, the Zambian president of anti-corruption group Transparency International, emphasized the need for thorough investigations and the follow-through of these corruption cases involving the Lungu family and former government officials.
Given Lubinda, the acting president of Lungu’s Patriotic Front Party, addressed party members, advising them to prepare for more arrests within the party. Lubinda accused the authorities of disproportionately targeting PF members in their anti-corruption efforts. He assured party members that a team of lawyers was ready to defend them, urging them not to be intimidated and to continue organizing and mobilizing.
President Hakainde Hichilema has consistently emphasized that the fight against corruption is not politically motivated but rather aims to safeguard the nation’s public funds.
Source: SaharaReporters
