By NATION REPORTER
THE States scheme to strip former President Edgar Lungu of immunity from prosecution has reached a crescendo with the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) raiding the bank accounts for the former Head of State domiciled at Atlasmara Bank.
But Makebi Zulu, the lawyer for Mr Lungu has described the raid as illegal and said if the State was getting legal advice from the Attorney General but ignoring it, then the government was after persecuting the former President.
Mr Zulu said it was surprisinf that the UPND government had been pontificating the rule of law but had but deloped the propensity of ignoring the rule of law.
The DEC has raided former President Lungu’s bank accounts on claims that it suspects the former Head of State could be guilty of money laundering.
According to a warrant, DEC is inquiring into Mr Lungu’s accounts for the past ten years, from January 2012 to the month of November, 2022.
A Mr Emmanueal Khondowe, a DEC officer, has been granted authority to inspect bank books for former President Lungu which the Commission claims has justifiable cause to believe that the former Head of State could be guilty of money laundering.
“Whereas it has been proved to me on oath, according to reasonable suspicion, the inspection of the accounts relating to Edgar Chagwa Lungu, with Atlasmara Bank, situated in Lusaka as both necessary and desirable for the purposes of investigating the commission of offence by Edgar Chagwa Lungu. You are hereby authorised to inspect the said Edgar Chagwa Lungu with Atlasmara Bank and to take copies and/ or originals of any relative entries or matter in such bank,” reads the authority from the Resident Magistrate.
The law enforcement agencies have so far raided the former President’s properties, the properties of the former First Lady Esther Lungu and have summoned and interrogated his children and close associates.
Now the State has escalated its plans to have former President Lungu’s immunity removed in preparation for his arrest, prosecution and eventual imprisonment.
A few months ago, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had cleared the former Head of State by confirming that the commission had not come across anything in all matters that had been investigated that could warrant the removal of his immunity from prosecution.
The State is determined to have former President Lungu face the law for crimes it believes he could have committed and the DEC is closing in with investigations in an attempt to find a prima facie case that would support the removal of immunity and subsequent prosecution.
The DEC through Mr Khondowe, says details are that former President Lungu has had his bank accounts at Atlasmara searched for suspected money laundering crimes.
But Mr Zulu said it was illegal for the state to continue harassing the former President and that the continued raiding of the former President Properties and accounts was a confirmation that the UPND had no respect for the rule of law.
Mr Zulu said the State had commenced the prosecution of former President Lungu long before the former Head of State could have his immunity from prosecution lifted.
“It is illegal and they cannot be doing that. These guys do not know what they are doing. I do not think they are getting the necessary advice from the Attorney General and if they did and are ignoring his advice, then it is clear it is persecution and this borders on the rule of,” Mr Zulu said.
