Zambia charges ex-air force boss

2008-07-03 14:58

Lusaka - Zambia's former air force chief General Sundie Kayumba has been arrested and charged with corruption, the second time since he was dismissed from his position, says an official.

Kayumba was arrested and briefly detained on Wednesday for alleged abuse of office and corruption involving a breach of tender regulations in the purchase of air force vehicles, a spokesman of the special anti-graft unit said.

"He has been arrested and charged with abuse of authority of office," Victor Makayi said.

The ex-commander, who served under both former president Frederick Chiluba and current head of state Levy Mwanawasa, had already been on trial for theft of public funds and corruption.

Kayumba was sacked by Mwanawasa about five years ago after he was linked to several corruption deals in the defence force, which led to his arrest.

Almost all former commanders under Chiluba had been arrested and charged with various offences of corruption and theft of public funds during their tenure in office.

Chiluba, 65, who ruled Zambia from 1991 to 2001, was himself also on trial for theft of public funds even though he denied the accusations saying the charges were politically-motivated.

Tens of millions of dollars in Zambian state funds and assets that were stolen by officials during Chiluba's rule had been recovered, the government said.

He was arrested and charged with corruption in 2003, but the case had dragged due to his poor health and legal technicalities raised by his lawyers.

- AFP