The Zambian police have arrested and charged former First Lady Esther Lungu, along with four other individuals, for alleged theft.
Danny Mwale, Deputy Police Spokesperson, stated that Esther has been jointly charged with James Phiri, 49, Lee Chisulo, 31, Kapambwe Lungu, 42, and Catherine Banda, 30, for three counts of motor vehicle theft and one count of theft of a certificate of title. Esther has also been separately charged with possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.
“All the suspects are currently in custody,” Mwale told the press on Wednesday. Prior to Mwale’s statement, Esther voluntarily presented herself at a local police station. She was accompanied by members of the Patriotic Front (PF), the party her husband led before announcing his retirement from politics in 2021.
For Raphael Nakacinda, PF spokesperson, current Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema is trying to divert citizens’ attention from the current economic challenges affecting the country. Brian Mundubile, an opposition leader in Parliament, referred to the series of events as “frivolous.” Esther, 66, is the wife of former President Edgar Lungu, who led the Southern African country from 2015 to 2021.
