Zambia recovers millions

2008-05-09 17:18

Lusaka - Tens of millions of dollars in Zambian state funds and assets which were stolen by officials during the rule of former president Frederick Chiluba have been recovered, the government said on Friday.

Information Minister Mike Mulongoti said the government intended to sell all the assets, which include an upmarket apartment in Belgium, and use the funds to improve hospitals in the impoverished southern African nation.

"The total amount of money projected to be raised from the sale of recovered properties will be in excess of 200bn kwacha (R456m)," he said in a statement.

The properties and bank accounts were recovered from several ex-government officials and their associates linked to Chiluba, who is facing charges of corruption and theft of public funds.

"The government will spend the money on the construction of new maternity wings to improve the health status of women and children," Mulongoti added.

He said a special task force on corruption, established to probe Chiluba's rule from 1991-2001, recovered properties, vehicles, agricultural equipment and bank accounts.

Chiluba is accused of having siphoned out millions of dollars in state funds. The ex-leader has denied the allegations saying they were politically motivated.

- AFP