Ex-President Lungu’s Son Loses 79 Cars, Luxury Flats To State As Assets Declared Illegal By Zambia High Court

Zambia High Court Declares Ex-President Lungu’s Son’s Assets Illegal; 79 Cars, Luxury Flats Seized

A Zambian High Court has delivered a landmark ruling, declaring a vast portfolio of assets belonging to Dalitso Lungu, the son of the late former President Edgar Lungu, as illegally acquired. The immediate consequence is the state’s seizure of those assets, including a fleet of 79 vehicles and multiple luxury flats.

The judgement, handed down on Monday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Division, orders the forfeiture of properties valued at over US$1.3 million (R23.6 million). The list extends beyond cars and apartments to include 23 pieces of land and real estate, such as a shopping mall, a petrol station, and an executive residence in Lusaka. The National Prosecution Authority of Zambia posted images of the forfeited petrol station on its official Facebook page following the ruling.

Income And Company Records Could Not Justify Wealth

In building its case, the court meticulously examined Dalitso Lungu’s financial capacity. Evidence revealed his employment history consisted of a short role at a beverages company in 2012 and a subsequent nearly three-year period at the Zambia Revenue Authority. The bench concluded that the income from these positions was fundamentally insufficient to account for the acquisition of such extensive assets.

The judges were unequivocal in their written ruling, stating:

“[Dalitso] Lungu has failed to proffer further and solid evidence to substantiate his claims that Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and indeed his parents, were the source of the funds used to purchase the impugned properties.”

The court also scrutinised his company, Saloid Traders Limited. It found that the firm’s financial statements, tax returns, bank records, and social security contributions did not demonstrate a lawful capacity to obtain or maintain the properties in question. Claims that commercial farming or family support funded the purchases were rejected due to a lack of supporting documentation.

Legal Battle Unfolds Amidst Broader Family Scrutiny

Dalitso Lungu’s lawyers have signalled their intention to appeal the High Court’s decision. This case forms part of a wider pattern of legal scrutiny facing the former first family. In a separate 2024 ruling, the High Court ordered former First Lady Esther Lungu to forfeit 15 flats valued at US$3.5 million (R63.5 million).

These proceedings occur against a backdrop of prolonged political tension between the legacy of Edgar Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema. This feud has extended into a startling legal dispute over the former president’s body. Edgar Lungu died in South Africa in June last year, but his remains are still in a Johannesburg funeral home.

A South African court ruled in August that his body must be repatriated to Zambia for a state funeral. His family, led by Esther Lungu, is opposing this. She has just filed a notice at the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein to overturn the repatriation order, following failed attempts in other courts. The family desires a private burial in South Africa.