THE State has urged the court to dismiss former first lady Esther Lungu’s application 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. The State has asked the court to dismiss Esther’s application on grounds that she has not established any special circumstances to warrant a stay of the proceedings. Esther wants the proceedings in the matter to be halted pending her appeal against the court’s ruling that the DPP doesn’t need to determine whether properties are indeed tainted before he can apply for a Non-Conviction Based Forfeiture order. In an affidavit in opposition to Esther’s application, Emmanuel Khondwe, a Senior Investigations Officer...