President’s son ordered to surrender 79 cars

President’s son ordered to surrender 79 cars

Zambia’s High Court has made a significant ruling, ordering the seizure of assets valued at over $1.3 million (£923,000) from Dalitso Lungu, the son of former President Edgar Lungu.

This forfeiture includes a staggering 79 vehicles and 23 parcels of land and real estate, which feature a shopping mall, a petrol station, luxury apartments, and an executive residence located in Lusaka, the capital city.

The court’s judgement stated that the 39-year-old and his company failed to offer a credible and verifiable explanation for how they lawfully acquired these assets.

Edgar Lungu, who served as Zambia‘s president for six years starting in 2015, passed away in South Africa last June. However, his burial has been delayed due to an ongoing legal dispute between his family and the current government.

This situation is part of a long-standing rivalry between Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema, who won the 2021 elections by a significant margin.

Hichilema’s government is pushing for his remains to be brought back home and honored with a state funeral, complete with all the official trimmings. A South African court backed this request back in August.

However, the family is leaning towards a more private burial in South Africa, citing that the former president had expressed a wish for Hichilema not to be present at his funeral.

Dalitso Lungu’s legal team has announced plans to appeal the ruling made on Monday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Division of the High Court.

When evaluating Lungu’s financial situation, the court took a close look at his job history and earnings.

The evidence revealed that he had a short stint at a beverage company in Lusaka in 2012, followed by nearly three years at the Zambia Revenue Authority.

Ultimately, the court determined that his income, even when combined, was not enough to justify the ownership of a large fleet of vehicles and several high-value properties.

Investigations into Saloid Traders Limited revealed that the company’s financial statements, tax returns, bank records, and social security contributions didn’t show any legitimate means to acquire or keep the assets in question.

Claims suggesting that the properties were funded through commercial farming, business income, or family support were dismissed, as the court pointed out the lack of any supporting documents.

“[Dalitso] Lungu has not provided any further solid evidence to back up his claims that Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and even his parents, were the source of the funds used to buy the disputed properties,” the judges stated.

In recent years, other members of the Lungu family have also come under scrutiny for allegedly amassing wealth through fraudulent means.

In 2024, the high court decided that the former first lady, Esther Lungu, must forfeit 15 flats worth $3.5 million.

Critics argue that the anti-corruption campaign is driven by political motives.

Since her husband’s passing from an undisclosed illness, Mrs. Lungu has been staying in South Africa.

She is spearheading legal efforts to ensure he is buried in South Africa and has recently submitted a notice to the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein, seeking to overturn the previous decision that mandated her husband’s body be returned home.

The family’s earlier attempts to gain permission to appeal in various South African courts have not been successful.

Currently, Lungu’s body is still at a funeral home in Johannesburg.

President’s son ordered to surrender 79 cars