Zambia’s former First Lady, Esther Lungu, along with her daughter Chiyeso Katete, has been arrested over possession of properties suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Both were arrested on Thursday in Lusaka. Another close relative, identified as Charles Phiri is also being held.
Authorities say Ms Lungu “failed to give a reasonable explanation” of how she acquired a $1.5m (£1.2m) estate in the capital.
Former President, Edgar Lungu, who had accused the government of victimising members of his party to stop him from returning to politics, has said he would challenge the charges in court. He recently claimed to have been put under house arrest.
Ms Lungu was arrested last September over corruption allegations, involving cases of theft of motor vehicles and title deeds. She denied any wrongdoing.
The country’s Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) said in a statement that Ms Lungu owned “15 white double-storey flats” situated in the State Lodge area of Lusaka’s Chongwe town, “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime”.
The commission said her daughter was faced with additional charges of purchasing another three flats estate in Lusaka, suspected to have been bought from proceeds of fraud.
All the accused were released on bond, after being questioned by DEC officials for several hours on Thursday.
The former president’s aides and members of his family have come under the radar of President Hichilema’s anti-corruption drive. The president vowed to recover all resources allegedly stolen while Mr Lungu was in power.
