In a recent development, Zambia's former first lady and one of her daughters have been arrested over their ownership of several properties worth more than $2 million. The arrests were made by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), a law enforcement agency tasked with investigating money laundering allegations.
The former first lady, Esther Lungu, who is the wife of ex-President Edgar Lungu, along with her daughter and a family friend, were taken into custody on Thursday. The DEC revealed that properties owned by Esther Lungu, including 15 apartments valued at $1.5 million in a district near the capital, Lusaka, are under investigation. According to the DEC, Esther Lungu failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the acquisition of these properties.
