Several dozen armed police on Saturday surrounded the house of former president Frederick Chiluba, a day after a court ruled he can be investigated for corruption, an AFP correspondent reported.
A colleague of Chiluba’s, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the police had a search warrant from the drug enforcement commission.
No further details were immediately available.
On Friday, a Zambian High Court judge said parliament had acted within its powers when it voted on July 16 to strip Chiluba of the presidential immunity he enjoyed during 10 years in office.
”I found that there was nothing inappropriate in lifting the immunity for the purpose of facilitating investigation,” said High Court judge Anthony Nyangulu.
Zambia’s constitution contains provisions that allow parliament to pass a resolution to strip a former head of state of his immunity, the judge said.
The ruling follows a legal challenge by Chiluba against the vote. His lawyers immediately announced an appeal to the Supreme Court.
Parliament decided to scrap Chiluba’s immunity from prosecution after President Levy Mwanawasa alleged that his predecessor had stolen millions of dollars of state funds during his 10 years in office. – Sapa-AFP