Lusaka – Zambia’s anti-graft body has arrested and charged former justice minister Given Lubinda on corruption charges, the Anti-Corruption Commission said on Monday, the latest such swoop against a member of the previous government.
The body said Lubinda, 58, “has been charged with five counts of possession of properties suspected to be proceeds of crime”, with a total amount of $539,000 under scrutiny.
If convicted, Lubinda, currently the acting president of the former ruling Patriotic Front (PF) party faces a minimum five years imprisonment.
Given Lubinda arrested for corruption involving over US539,000 – https://t.co/onbA4nFx6v pic.twitter.com/QIZv89lxPF
— Mwebantu (@Mwebantu) March 21, 2022
The charges pertain to property owned by Lubinda and multiple bank account deposits that “are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime”, said a statement from commission spokesperson Queen Chibwe.
Lubinda has been released on police bail and will appear in court at an unannounced future date, the statement said.
Zambia’s new president Hakainde Hichilema, elected last August, rode to power on the promise that he would fight corruption once in office.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Twitter/@MulundaArchie
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