Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has seized several properties in Lusaka believed to be proceeds of crime in an ongoing money laundering investigation involving a Rwandese national who allegedly entered Zambia illegally and masqueraded as a Congolese refugee.
DEC Deputy Public Relations Officer, Theresa Mawere said the seized properties include boarding houses, a farm, household goods, farm animals and a factory located in the Mungule area of Lusaka.
Ms. Mawere stated that the properties are suspected to have been fraudulently acquired using false identities as part of an elaborate scheme aimed at concealing illicit financial activities, including money laundering.
Ms. Mawere said the Commission also seized three motor vehicles linked to the suspect, namely a Toyota Allion, a Toyota Probox and a Toyota Hiace.
She explained that preliminary investigations conducted jointly by DEC, the Immigration Department and the Anti-Terrorism Department established that the suspect, who is currently on the run, allegedly registered several business entities and assets under fraudulent identities in an attempt to evade established legal frameworks.
“In the course of investigations, DEC, working jointly with relevant institutions, conducted extensive searches and verifications with various institutions. Findings from these searches indicate that the suspect is linked to multiple assets registered under fraudulent identities and operated motor vehicles under the same false identities,” she said.
Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies have launched a joint manhunt for the suspect, who remains at large.
In a related development, family members of the suspect who were found to be illegally residing in the country have since been deported following a lawful deportation order issued by the Immigration Department.
Ms. Mawere said the seizure of the properties forms part of a broader asset recovery process aimed at depriving suspects of proceeds of crime and facilitating the possible restitution of fraudulently acquired properties to rightful owners, subject to due legal process.
She reaffirmed DEC’s commitment to combating financial crimes and safeguarding the integrity of Zambia’s economic and legal systems.
“Members of the public are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies,” she added.
