FORMER first lady Esther Lungu has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Court to stay proceedings in a matter in which DPP Gilbert Phiri has applied to have 15 double-storey flats allegedly belonging to her forfeited to the State. Esther wants the court to stay the proceedings pending her appeal against its ruling that the DPP doesn’t need to commence other proceedings to determine whether properties are indeed tainted before he can apply for a Non-Conviction Based Forfeiture order. In a recent ruling, the court further denied the former first lady an order for constitutional reference in which she was seeking to challenge the Chief Justice’s authority to establish the Economic and Financial Crimes Court as a division of the...