Former Zambian first lady arrested for fraud

Former Zambia First Lady Esther Lungu and her daughter Chiyeso Katete have been arrested for possession of property suspected to be the proceeds of crime.

The two men were arrested on Thursday in the capital, Lusaka, alongside another close relative identified as Charles Phiri, authorities said.

Ms Lungu “failed to provide a reasonable explanation” for how she acquired a $30,000 (£24,000) estate in the capital, the national drugs agency said.

Former president Edgar Lungu said the family would contest the charges in court.

The former leader accuses the government of having persecuted him and members of his party, the Patriotic Front (PF), to block his return to politics before the 2026 elections.

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

Last September, his wife was arrested on allegations of corruption, involving the theft of motor vehicles and property titles, which she denied.

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

He said Ms Lungu owned “15 white double-storey apartments” located in the State Lodge area of ​​Chongwe town in Lusaka, “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime”.

The exact date of the acquisition of the property, owned jointly with others unknown, is unclear, but the DEC indicated that it was purchased between 2015 and 2023.

The DEC said his daughter was facing additional charges over the acquisition of three other apartments in Lusaka, believed to have been purchased fraudulently.

“In addition, she was arrested for owning a luxury home, four chicken coops and associated exterior work on the property,” the agency added.

They were all released on bail, Lungu said, adding that they were safe at home after being questioned by DEC officials for several hours on Thursday.

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

She was summoned, through her lawyers, to appear before the DEC on Monday.

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

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

Mr Lungu announced his return to politics last October, prompting the government to cut his retirement benefits.

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

After six years in office, Mr. Lungu left the southern African country heavily in debt and facing a precarious economy.

Several former ministers, government officials and members of Mr Lungu's family have been on the radar of Zambian investigative agencies as part of an anti-corruption campaign launched by President Hichilema.

Mr Hichilema has pledged to recover any resources that were looted while Mr Lungu was in power.

Critics say the anti-corruption campaign is politically motivated.

More Zambia stories from the BBC:

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Follow us on twitter @BBCAfricaon Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrique

BBC Africa Podcasts