Former First Lady of Zambia arrested for fraud

Zambia’s former First Lady Esther Lungu and her daughter Chiyeso Katete have been arrested for possession of property suspected of being the proceeds of crime.

The two were arrested on Thursday in the capital Lusaka along with another close relative named Charles Phiri, authorities said.

Ms Lungu has given “no reasonable explanation” for how she acquired a property worth $30,000 (£24,000) in the capital, the state anti-drug agency said.

Former President Edgar Lungu said the family would challenge the allegations in court.

The former politician accuses the government of harassing him and members of his Patriotic Front (PF) party in order to prevent his return to politics before the 2026 elections.

He recently claimed that he had been placed under house arrest due to his increased political activities, although the government denied this.

Last September, his wife was arrested on corruption charges related to car and property thefts, which she denied.

On Thursday, 66-year-old Ms Lungu was arrested on suspicion of fraudulently acquiring a luxury property in Lusaka, the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) said in a statement.

It said Ms Lungu was the owner of “15 white semi-detached houses” in the State Lodge area of Lusaka’s Chongwe town, which “there are reasonable grounds to suspect that they are the proceeds of crime”.

The exact date of acquisition of the property, which is jointly owned with other unknown individuals, is not clear, but the DEC said the purchase occurred between 2015 and 2023.

The DEC said her daughter would face additional charges for the purchase of another three-unit condominium in Lusaka, which was suspected of being fraudulent.

“She was also arrested for owning an expensive home, four chicken coops and related outdoor work on the property,” the agency added.

They were all released on bail, Mr Lungu said, adding that they were safely home on Thursday after several hours of interrogation by DEC officials.

Another of Ms Lungu’s daughters, Tasila, faces separate but related charges, according to the DEC.

Through her lawyers, she was ordered to appear before the DEC on Monday.

The defendants did not comment on the allegations, but the former president said in a brief statement that the family would challenge them in court.

It was not immediately clear if and when they would appear in court.

Last October, Mr Lungu announced a return to politics, after which the government cancelled his retirement benefits.

He had retired from politics after losing the presidency to Hakainde Hichilema in 2021.

After six years in office, Mr Lungu left the South African country with heavy debts and a precarious economy.

As part of an anti-corruption campaign launched by President Hichilema, several former ministers, government officials and members of the Lungu family came onto the radar of Zambian investigative authorities.

Mr Hichilema has vowed to recover all resources allegedly looted during Mr Lungu’s tenure.

Critics claim that the fight against corruption is politically motivated.