Two Zambian Air Force colonels were charged with stealing state funds, their lawyer said on Monday, and a Cabinet minister, in court fighting fraud charges, was fired as an anti-corruption campaign gains steam.
Deputy Information Minister John Mwaimba was fired over the weekend after details of a civil court case against him emerged. He is accused of fraudulently obtaining credit to buy hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fertilizer.
Mwaimba denies any wrongdoing.
In a separate case, two air force colonels have been accused of stealing 1.3 billion kwacha (about $264 000) of state funds.
The officers are scheduled to be tried by both a magistrates court and a military court.
The arrests come as President Levy Mwanawasa’s continues his crackdown against corruption.
Mwanawasa pressed for the investigation which led to the recent arrest of former president Frederick Chiluba on charges he stole millions of dollars from the government while in office. – Sapa-AP