Post date: Mar 27, 2013 1:33:56 PM
Zambia has officially charged former President Rupiah Banda for abuse of authority over a Nigerian oil deal, a government spokeswoman says.
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA (MARCH 25, 2013) (REUTERS) - Zambia officially charged former President Rupiah Banda for abuse of authority over a Nigerian oil deal, a government spokeswoman said on Monday (March 25).
Banda, who led Africa's top copper producer from 2008 to 2011, has maintained his innocence."I am a law abiding citizen, I have to go through what everybody else goes through once they are charged,"Rupiah Banda said on Monday in capital Lusaka.
Banda, who has been accused of misappropriating more than $11 million during his three years in office, was arrested and then later released on a bond, said Namukolo Kasumpa, a spokeswoman for the government's investigation team.
"The former republican president has been formally charged and arrested in connection with the procurement of the Nigerian oil which was not beneficial to the Zambian government. He has been charged with abuse of authority, contrary to section 99, sub section one of the penal code, cap 87 of the laws of Zambia. He has been released on police bond and will appear tomorrow before the senior resident magistrate. And as part of his bail conditions, he has surrendered his passport and two working sureties as well as 500,000 rebased [Zambian currency Kwacha Rebased] in his own recognizance."
He will appear in court again on Tuesday, she said.
Zambia this month stripped Banda of immunity from prosecution, a sign it was getting closer to bringing formal charges against him.
The former president was questioned for nearly three hours after his arrest, his lawyer Sakwiba Sikota said, adding that Banda had done nothing wrong.
Banda later appeared before supporters telling them to remain calm and that he would win his case in court.
Banda was defeated in 2011 by rival Michael Sata, whose government has launched several high-profile corruption probes into deals struck by the former administration.