Levy asks for missing millions
2004-06-18 22:48
Lusaka - President Levy Mwanawasa offered on Friday to drop all charges against his predecessor if Frederick Chiluba can return more than 75% of the millions he is accused of stealing from the national treasury.
Mwanawasa made the offer at the start of talks with visiting Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, whose government has made it a priority to crack down on corruption and recover funds that disappeared under previous military regimes.
"We are determined to win this fight against corruption because it is a threat to development," Mwanawasa told reporters.
Chiluba, Zambia's first democratically elected president, has not responded to similar offers in the past and could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday.
Chiluba, four other former government officials and two businessmen have pleaded innocent to 169 counts of corruption, abuse of power and theft totalling $43m. He has also pleaded innocent to 65 counts of state theft totalling about $3.5m in a separate case.
The former leader, who is out on bail, had been scheduled to appear in court on Friday, but he was excused from the hearing so he could meet briefly with Obasanjo behind closed doors.
Chiluba lead this impoverished southern African country for 10 years until he retired in January 2002. Mwanawasa, who was Chiluba's hand-picked successor, has pledged to fight corruption in his predecessor's administration.
Obasanjo, who wrapped up a two-day visit on Friday, praised Mwanawasa's efforts.
"The aim is not to jail all corrupt men and women, but to recover and fill the treasury with what you want and which they stole," Obasanjo said.
- AP