Zambia’s former president Frederick Chiluba, who is facing several corruption charges, left on Friday for South Africa for medical treatment, his spokesperson said.
”He left the country this morning on a chartered plane,” Emmanuel Mwamba told Agence France-Presse, but declined to give details on his ailment.
Chiluba was previously denied permission by the government to leave Zambia for treatment on the ground that he could refuse to return to face corruption charges.
A magistrate’s court, which is trying Chiluba, on Thursday ordered the state to release his passport to allow him go to South Africa for treatment.
Zambian government spokesperson Vernon Mwaanga said in a statement that the state would pick up Chiluba’s medical bill as it was a perquisite accorded to former heads of state.
Mwaanga said President Levy Mwanawasa visited Chiluba at his residence on Wednesday after he heard that the health of the ex-president was deteriorating.
Chiluba is on trial together with two other private businessmen for allegedly having stolen $507 000 in state funds when he ruled Zambia for 10 years until 2001.
The government has also filed a civil claim against Chiluba and 17 other former officials in a London court over the alleged theft of £13-million.
The London High Court in November 2004 issued a worldwide order freezing Chiluba’s assets.
The charges against Chiluba came after his successor Mwanawasa appointed a task force to investigate corruption and theft of public funds during Chiluba’s tenure as Zambia’s second president. — Sapa-AFP