Zambian security agents on Thursday began questioning former president Frederick Chiluba over charges that he looted the nation’s coffers, while thousands of curious people gathered outside the police station.
Anti-riot police were forced to seal off roads leading to Lusaka Central Police Station as more than 5 000 people thronged together to find out what was going on with Chiluba inside.
The former head of state, who led Zambia for a decade until December 2001, was summoned for questioning hours after the Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a parliamentary decision to lift his immunity from prosecution.
Chiluba was accompanied by lawyers when he arrived at police headquarters at around 8:30 am (6:30 GMT), to be interrogated by a special task force set up by President Levy Mwanawasa’s government.
Parliament voted unanimously in July last year to lift a special privilege of immunity from prosecution enjoyed by Chiluba after Mwanawasa alleged that his predecessor stole millions of dollars of state funds while in office.
The task force comprises members of several government agencies as well as police officers and has arrested at least a dozen officials who served under Chiluba’s government on charges of graft since last year.
Chiluba is likely to face criminal charges after losing his Supreme Court against the parliamentary ruling.
Mwanawasa has offered him a presidential pardon if he repays the money he allegedly stole from the state, saying it would be expensive to keep him in jail since he should receive special treatment befitting former leaders.
Officials under arrest include former cabinet members Katele Kalumba, who was in foreign affairs, ex-home affairs minister Peter Machungwa and ex-works minister, Godden Mandandi.
The former intelligence boss Xavier Chungu and Mwelwa Chibesakunda, a former clerk of parliament, have also been held.
Others accused of corruption are former deputy director of intelligence Yotham Zulu, the former managing director of Zambia National Commercial Bank, Samuel Musonda, his former deputy George Mwambazi and former secretary to the treasury James Mtonga.
Twice last year, the government barred Chiluba from travelling outside the country because of the pending probe.
He was unable to attend an African Union summit in South Africa in July and in December he was prevented from going to Britain for medical check-ups. The authorities instead urged him instead to use local doctors.
Police have so far closed some 34 bank accounts that were allegedly used to siphon off state funds and seized some assets and properties suspected to have been bought with the stolen money. – Sapa-AFP