- The former Zambian president, Frederick Chiluba, has been acquitted over corruption charges by the court today.
Mr Chiluba was facing charges of corruption involving some US$ 500,000, allegedly stolen while still in power. The judgement was postponed on Friday with reports pointing at a possible jail sentence for Mr Chiluba.
The charge against Mr Chiluba was raised in 2003 when the former and the late Zambian president Levy Mwanawasa launched an all out anti-corruption campaign, even against his predecessor. Mr Mwanawasa was hand-picked by Mr Chiluba as his successor following his two full terms as the Republican president in Zambia.
In passing the judgement today, the court declared that the prosecution had failed to prove its case against the accused, further stating that Mr Chiluba would be acquitted on all counts.
The co-accused to Mr Chiluba, Aaron Chungu and Faustin Kabwe have however been found guilty.
Mr Chiluba’s wife, Regina, who accompanied her husband to court today, was given a three and a half jail sentence, in a separate charge, in March this year, for receiving stolen state funds. She is however appealing the sentence.
Mr Chiluba was Zambian president for two terms, having taken over in the return to multi-party democracy in 1991, in the former British colony.
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