TASILA LUNGU MUST PROVE EDGAR LUNGU BOUGHT HER FARM – State
Tasila must provide money trails to show Lungu paid for Sinda Farm – State
DEC investigator Emmanuel Khondowe says Chawama member of parliament Lungu has failed to justify ownership of her Sinda farm in Eastern province and his findings of its illegal acquisition is supported by concrete evidence.
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The investigator submitted before the Economic and Financial Crimes Court that Tasila’s mere mention of her father does not exempt her from explaining how she acquired the property in question and indeed how she developed the said property.
Khondowe emphasized that if the money came from Edgar Lungu, Tasila must provide a money trail showing how the funds moved from her father to herself.
He said investigations conducted in its acquisition revealed that Tasila had no known income prior to June 11, 2015, to August 31, 2021.
In his affidavit in reply to affidavit in opposition to originating notice of motion, the senior investigations officer said he is a qualified financial investigationor and analyst of over 10 years and that the conclusions he arrived at were in consultation with the bank managers and accountants in the firms he visited during investigations and are not based on opinions.
“During Investigations, I visited farm no.F/2278 in Sinda district where I saw the developments on the property as described. I submit that the value of the property is correct and not inflated,” Khondowe said.
He clarified that Tasila was not targeted owing to the relationship with her father former president Edgar Lungu and neither was the investigation instigated following the change of government after the 2021 general election.
“It is crucial for the interested party to provide clear documentation demonstrating the interested party’s father’s involvement and assistance in acquiring and developing the property,along with evidence of his financial contribution,” Khondowe said.
“This documentation is necessary to establish that the property was acquired and developed using legitimate funds and that it is not a proceed of crime. Tasila must demonstrate,in explicit detail ,the origin and timelines showing when she came into possession of the funds utilized for the acquisition and development of the property.”
He said the submission of Lungu’s financial sources is necessary to ascertain the legality of the funds gifted to her which were utilized to acquire and develop the property in question.
Khondowe added that Tasila has been granted a fair opportunity to present her case.
In this case the State wants to forfeit Tasila’s farm no. F/2278 in Sinda district which has fish ponds constructed at K13, 950, 378.83 which was way beyond her income.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba