Zambia's government dismantles effective anti-graft body

Oct 30, 2009, 16:26 GMT

Lusaka - The Zambian government has abolished an anti-corruption body formed by late president Levy Mwanawasa to prosecute his predecessor Frederick Chiluba and members of his graft-plagued administration, state media reported Friday.

Vice President George Kunda announced that the Task Force on Corruption would be fused into the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the state-run Zambia Daily Mail reported.

Kunda explained the move by saying the Task Force has executed its mandate because most of the cases it had prosecuted had been through the courts.

The Task Force, which was funded by Western donors, would become a department of the ACC and the ACC would be 'be the lead institution in the fight against corruption,' and take over any remaining Task Force cases, Kunda was quoted as saying.

The Task Force on corruption was formed eight years ago by Mwanawasa, who launched a crusade against corruption soon after becoming president in 2001.

The body, which was made up of a mix of investigators and lawyers, prosecuted Chiluba and other senior officials, who allegedly pocketed millions of dollars in public funds during Chiluba's presidency 1991-2001 presidency.

In several cases, the Task Force secured convictions, including against Chiluba's second wife Regina Chiluba and former Zambia Air Force commander Christopher Singogo.

Chiluba's wife was sentenced three-and-a-half years in prison for receiving stolen state property while Singogo was sentenced to six years imprisonment with hard labour, also for corruption.

The case against Chiluba ended in his acquittal by a court in August of stealing 500,000 dollars in state funds - a decision that sparked demonstrations by opposition parties and Catholic Church.

In a civil case in London in 2007, Chiluba was convicted of stealing 50 million dollars of public funds to fund a lavish lifestyle that contrasted sharply with the dire poverty that afflicts most Zambians.

The court ordered Chiluba to pay back 85 per cent of the sum but has the judgement has yet to be registered in Zambia.

The government of President Rupiah Banda, who succeeded Mwanawasa following the latter's death of a stroke last year, has been accused by opposition parties and the Catholic Church of rolling back the fight against corruption.

Following Chiluba's acquittal, Maxwell Nkole, then chairman of the Task Force, announced plans to appeal the judgement in the High Court but was summarily sacked by Banda.

Chiluba has since been seen waving the symbol of the ruling party in public and has pledged to campaign for Banda in the 2011 general elections, in his home region, where he commands a lot of support.