Exclusive: Zambia arrests ex-spy chief

  1. Posted on Thursday 4 December 2008 - 09:20
    Sanday
    Image of Sanday
    Sanday Chongo Kabange, AfricaNews reporter in Lusaka, Zambia
    Zambia's former intelligence Chief Xavier Franklin Chungu has handed himself to the security authorities in the capital Lusaka, Zambia after being on the run for close to five years. He absconded in mid 2003 after a protracted legal battle with then president Levy Mwanawasa, who died late August.
    Zambia_coa
    Chungu was being investigated with former president Fredrick Chiluba for abuse of authority of office.

    After his controversial election victory in 2001, Mwanawasa launched Zambia’s biggest ant-corruption crusade which saw the arrest or investigation of Chiluba and some of senior officers that served under his 10-year regime.

    Chungu, who headed Zambia’s intelligence wing, secretly arrived in Lusaka Wednesday morning aboard a South African Airways flight from Mozambique where he is believed to have been after failed attempts to seek political asylum to Europe and the United States.

    In 2006, Chungu had told a Portuguese newspaper two years ago that he was willing to return to Zambia and challenge then President Levy Mwanawasa for republican presidency.

    He accused Mwanawasa of launching a selected fight against corruption that was targeted at Chiluba and those that served under his leadership. Zambia’s Taskforce on Corruption spokesperson Victor Makai told reporters in Lusaka on Wednesday that a detailed report would be issued later on Wednesday night.

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