Dalitso Lungu, son of late former Zambian president Edgar Lungu, has failed to legally justify the acquisition of 79 vehicles and 25 parcels of prime land across Zambia, prompting the Economic and Financial Crimes Court (EFCC) to order their forfeiture. In its February 9, 2026 judgment, the court held that Dalitso and his company, Saloid Traders Limited, likely engaged in tax evasion and money laundering to accumulate assets far exceeding their legitimate income.

The judges rejected his claim that a Lusaka filling station was lawfully gifted by his father, finding no legal basis for the land’s allocation, transfer, or subsequent lease to Total Energies. The court concluded that the properties were “tainted” and could not be explained by lawful earnings.

State investigations revealed stark financial discrepancies. Authorities alleged Dalitso personally amassed unexplained wealth totaling over K31 million, while Saloid Traders Limited accumulated more than K35 million against traceable income of just K7.8 million.

Despite claiming to be a commercial farmer, Dalitso reportedly failed to provide evidence of crops, livestock, customers, tax returns, or bank statements to substantiate agricultural income. Investigators also found no proof that his late father financed the acquisitions through documented transfers.

Zambia Revenue Authority findings further indicated that declared earnings, including payments from Total Energies Zambia Limited and BIL Zambia Limited, were grossly insufficient to support the scale and pace of the purchases, many of which involved substantial cash and U.S. dollar transactions.

The court also identified serious irregularities surrounding the Jack Compound properties. Although occupancy licenses were issued in Edgar Lungu’s name in January 2018, purported Deeds of Gift transferring ownership to Dalitso in April 2019 were deemed invalid due to lack of proper registration under the Lands and Deeds Registry Act.

Additionally, a lease agreement between Saloid Traders Limited and Total Energies was executed in September 2018, 16 days before the company was formally incorporated and months before the alleged transfer of ownership, raising concerns of concealment and procedural manipulation.

The judicial panel ruled that, on a balance of probability under the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act and the Prohibition and Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the assets were proceeds of crime and lawfully subject to seizure.

The ruling has sparked political backlash. Zambia’s Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) condemned the decision as politically motivated, accusing the judiciary and prosecutorial authorities of bias toward the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), claims the party has denied.

FDD spokesperson Anthony Chibuye described current forfeiture laws as a “witch-hunt” and pledged reforms to raise the burden of proof for asset seizures if elected in 2026.

He also called on religious institutions to engage actively in national discourse ahead of the general elections. As tensions rise, the government has yet to formally respond to the opposition’s allegations.