Luapula Province Minister Nickson Chilangwa’s wife, Mwamba, has been arrested for alleged forgery and obtaining money by false pretences. Police spokesperson Esther Katongo said in an interview yesterday that Mrs Chilangwa was arrested yesterday and was charged with six counts. Mrs Chilangwa has been charged with misrepresentation of facts, uttering false documents and obtaining money by false pretences. Other charges are two counts of depriving beneficiaries of pension money and forgery.

Ms Katongo said Mrs Chilangwa, who has been released on police bond, will appear in court soon. Meanwhile, Mrs Chilangwa’s brother-inlaw, Andy Kapapa, who is the complainant, said she allegedly imposed herself as administrator of his late wife Chileshe’s property. Chileshe was Mrs Chilangwa’s sister.

Mr Kapapa said Mrs Chilangwa allegedly forged his children’s birth records and swore an affidavit claiming that Chileshe was not married before she died. He said Mrs Chilangwa was allegedly paid K480,000 benefits by PATH, the company Chileshe used to work for. Mr Kapapa said she was also allegedly paid K146,000 as contributions to the National Pension Scheme Authority and over K10,000 as funeral grant. “I have been a victim of property grabbing following my wife’s death on April 26 this year.

I married Chileshe in August 2012 and we were in marriage until her death. “After my wife’s death, Mrs Chilangwa kept her death certificate so that she could make herself the sole beneficiary of her sister’s estate,” he said. Mr Kapapa said Mrs Chilangwa spent all the money she got despite him being entitled to 10 percent of it while his two children should have gotten 45 percent each. “She has spent part of the money on ordering things from China to put in her two shops in Mansa. She also got a BMW vehicle which I bought for my wife using my personal money,” he said.