THE Anti-Corruption Commission has forfeited late president Frederick Chiluba’s property worth K40 million and K14 million accrued from rentals have been forfeited to the state.

At a media briefing in Lusaka today, January 10, 2017, ACC public relations manager Timothy Moono announced that the Supreme Court had ruled in the commission’s favor.

“On 29th December 2016, the Supreme Court delivered its judgement allowing the appeal with Costs to the State. The decision of the High Court was overturned and it was stated as follows: that the Corrupt Practices Regulations were legal, that the Gazette notices issued pursuant to the Corrupt Practices Regulations were legally issued, the disputed properties were effectively and legally forfeited to the State,” Moono said.

“You may wish to note that although the property managers refused to disclose the details of the persons who were claiming ownership of the properties in question, the lawyers for Tedworth Properties Incorporated later and in Court, disclosed that the purported beneficial owner was the late Republican President Dr. Frederick Chiluba. However, it was noted that Dr. Chiluba did not make any claim for the property when the investigations were proceeding and at the time the gazette notice was issued.”

Moono listed the assets that had been forfeited to the state.

“The current estimated market value of these properties is over K40 million. The said properties have been on rent to various tenants from the time the Commission seized them and the rentals have been kept by the Commission pending the outcome of the Court Proceedings. The rentals accrued so far amount to over K14 million broken down as follows: over K4million in the kwacha account, over $1.2 million in the dollar account. The import of the Judgment of the Supreme Court is that these properties and the money have been forfeited to the State,” Moono said.

He admitted that the matter had taken too long to be concluded.

“The matter has admittedly taken long to reach conclusion. Fighting corruption requires a lot of commitment, patience, courage and professionalism in the face of adversity. The Commission will continue and has placed a lot of emphasis on prosecuting and recovery of ill-gotten wealth, regardless of the persons or entities involved. The Commission would like to thank all the stakeholders who were involved in assisting to bring this matter to finality and these are the Drug Enforcement Commission, the Zambia Police Service, the Security wings and you the media for keeping the matter alive in the public domain,” said Moono.

The ACC instituted investigations into the manner in which Tedworth Properties, a company incorporated in Panama Incorporation Limited, acquired properties in Zambia in 2002.

The properties that Tedworth Properties unlawfully acquired included, Plot No. 4828, Alberg Court, located along Addis Ababa Drive, Longacres, Lusaka which comprised of 21 residential flats, plot No. F/488a/26/C, Horizon House, located along Leopards Hill Road, in Kabulonga, Lusaka and plot No. F/488a/26/D, Chibote House, located along Leopards Hill Road, in Kabulonga, Lusaka.