A LUSAKA woman has dragged the State to the Lusaka High Court for allegedly refusing to hand back a house which her late father gave the Zambia Police Service to use as a police post, before one was built in the area.

Edina Tembo, an administratrix and daughter of the late Sainet Chitema Tembo who has cited the Attorney General as respondent in the matter, seeking an order of vacant possession of property No. 2966/M situated in Kabanana site and service in Lusaka, as well as, damages and costs.

She states that the Zambia Police Service was given the house to use as a police post on condition that they would hand it over when they build theirs, but that they have refused to hand it back even after building their own police post.

According to an affidavit in support of originating summons for vacant posession filed in the Lusaka High Court on January 27, 2021, Tembo stated that that the late Sainet Tembo was the legal owner of property number Lot No. 2966/M situated in Kabanana site and service.

Tembo stated that when her father was alive, he gave one of his houses to be used as a police post by Zambia Police Service on condition that the Zambia Police would hand over the house as soon as they built their own police post.

She stated that the Zambia Police have used the house from the 1980s until 2016 when they vacated the house after building their own police post.

Tembo, however, stated that she had on several occasions written to Zambia Police to be handed back the house but to no avail.

“The respondent (State) has since built its own police post and is refusing the applicant (Tembo) to occupy their property. The respondent has no legal right to keep holding onto the applicant’s property,” she stated.

Tembo sought the court’s indulgence to order the State to hand over the said property.