Former South African president Nelson Mandela’s lawyer has been accused of profiting from corruption proceeds involving Zambian ex-leader Frederick Chiluba, court documents obtained by Agence France-Presse showed on Wednesday.
Iqbal Meer, a partner in the London-based firm Meer, Care and Desai, is among those being sued by the Zambian government for allegedly stealing about £13,5-million in state funds, according to the documents.
The law firm is at the top of a list of 20 defendants, which includes Chiluba, being sued by the state for the return the funds allegedly stolen by the former president during his 10-year rule, which ended in 2001.
Meer, together with several other defendants, is expected to appear in a special hearing of the London High Court scheduled to sit in Lusaka next month to receive evidence on the theft of the funds.
Meer is accused of working with officials under Chiluba to defraud the government by making payments through his law firm to fictitious companies.
However Meer, in his defence affidavits, vehemently denied the accusations, saying he could not steal from the Zambian government and that he has a good reputation, including managing Mandela’s affairs without problems.
He said he has resisted several opportunities to profit from Mandela because he has always wanted to ”maintain the highest standards of honesty and probity” according to the court records.
Meer’s firm in London was responsible for the disbursement of funds from a Zambian-based company, Access Financial Services, which is believed to have been used for money laundering by Chiluba and his close associates.
But Meer, who is also a board member of Mandela’s charitable company, 46664, said the South African icon has even written him a note expressing his gratitude for his services and honesty.
”There has never been any question mark over our accounting procedures or practices,” said Meer, who is a trustee of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (United Kingdom). — Sapa-AFP