State goes for Chimese’s properties
THE State has now gone for the nine fully furnished apartments and luxurious house allegedly belonging to former ZAF commander Lieutenant General Eric Chimese barely months after a magistrate declared that they did not belong to him but his best friend.
Director of Public Prosecutions Gilbert Phiri has moved a motion before the Economic and Financial Crimes Court to have Lt. Gen Chimese’s properties confiscated on reasons that He failed to account for the properties worth K91.4 million suspected to be tainted.
Among the properties to be forfeited are Subdivision of Subdivision F/2303/Q 4th Street Ibex Hill which houses the apartments and a single storey house, Farm 4302/313 Eureka Baobab Area Musekese Drive in Lusaka, Part of property no.F/181a/C/1 Mungwi road Lusaka West, 10 x 49 inch Samsung TV sets, K138, 458, US$10, 107,100 pounds and 1Yen.
In an affidavit in support of originating notice of motion for an application for Non-Conviction Based forfeiture order of tainted property sworn by Drug Enforcement Commission director Lillian Mubialelwa under the Anti-momey laundering investigations unit (AMLIU) on behalf of the DPP said in 2018 she received classified information that Gen. Chimese had illegally amassed wealth.
“I visited Subdivision F/2303/Q 4th street in Ibex Hill lusaka where I found that there was a luxurious house, nine fully furnished apartments, a gym, a guest wing a swimming pool and a semi- detached cottage,”Mubialelwa said.
She said a search at the Ministry of Lands revealed that the properties were still under a parent registered title deed of the proposed subdivisions.
Mubialelwa stated that she obtained a customer application form for electricity supply at ZESCO from Kennedy Mwansa, a supply inquiry and notice of commencement form, a copy of an NRC, sketch plan, nine quotations and payment receipts for the nine apartments, the single storey building and a semi-detached guest wing developed at the subject property.
She said the documents were in Gen. Chimese’s name as the landlord of the subject property.
“I was informed by Mr Chilanga Sahani that he was surprised when he heard James Chungu claiming to be the owner of the subject proposed property when he knew the owner to be Lt Gen Chimese.”Mubialelwa said.
She stated that Stephen Mbewe, who was a relief guard at the properties disclosed that vehicles belonging to the Zambia Air Force ZAF would deliver building material at the premises.
“I conducted a search at Air house where Lt Gen Chimese was residing with his wife, Sharon Gray at the time and I seized from Lt Gen 10×49 inches Samsung full HD TV sets, K90,000 and US$10,000 and from the wife,I seized K48,458, 100.00 pounds ,US$107.00 dollars and 1 yen,” she stated.
“I seized the subject cited properties on reasonable suspicion that they were proceeds of crime after both Lt Gen Chimese and Sharon Gray failed to account for the said seized properties.”
Mubialelwa said the estimated market value for proposed Subdivision of subdivision F/2303/Q 4th Street Ibex Hill in Lusaka is K46,600,000, farm 4301/313 Eureka Baobab Area Musekese Drive in Lusaka is valued at K22,300,000.
She said the market value for part of property F/181a/C1 Mungwi road in Lusaka west is K22,500,000 bringing the total market value of assets to K91, 400, 000.
“I found that Lt Gen Chimese and James Chungu were on May 22,2023 acquitted by the Subordinate Court on all counts of money laundering and concealing property suspected to be proceeds of crime,”Mubialelwa said.
“The cited properties are reasonably suspected to br proceeds of crime and liable for forefeiture to the State. The offences in Sections 21(1)(a)(b) and 36(b) of the Anti-Corruption Act no.3 of 2012 of the Laws of Zambia and Sections 71 of the forfeiture of proceeds of crimes are serious offences.”
She added that the case was fit for the Court to issue an order of forfeiture for the properties suspected to be tainted.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba