Former President Edgar Lungu’s son, Dalitso Lungu, has appealed the forfeiture of properties worth over K24 million to the State.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Court had ordered the forfeiture of 69 motor vehicles and 23 pieces of land located in various parts of the country.
According to the court judgment, concerns were raised regarding Mr. Lungu’s compliance with tax return requirements by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), including the submission of nil returns.
The court observed that the funds used to acquire the properties were reasonably suspected to have been obtained through illicit or unlawful activities, including money laundering and tax evasion.
However, in his notice of appeal, Mr. Lungu has raised nine grounds of appeal.
Among them, he argues that the lower court erred in law and fact when it rejected his unchallenged affidavit evidence that his father, the late former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, financed the purchase of certain properties.
He contends that the court instead accepted affidavit evidence from Director of Public Prosecutions Gilbert Phiri, which he claims was largely based on hearsay, thereby applying different evidential standards to the parties.
He further argues that the lower court erred in holding that his property was tainted and constituted proceeds of crime without the DPP identifying any specific serious offence, as defined under Section 2 of the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act No. 19 of 2010, allegedly committed by him or connected to him.
He maintains that no clear connection was established, on a balance of probabilities, between any alleged offence and the properties in question.
Mr. Lungu is represented by lawyers from Messrs. Malisa and Partners Legal Practitioners.
By Darius Choonya
