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| Rupiah Banda |
LUSAKA
(Reuters) - Zambia officially charged former President Rupiah Banda for abuse
of authority over a Nigerian oil deal, a government spokeswoman said on Monday.
Banda,
who has been accused of misappropriating more than $11 million during his three
years in office, was arrested and then later released on a bond, said Namukolo
Kasumpa, a spokeswoman for the government's investigation team.
He
will appear in court again on Tuesday, she said.
Zambia
this month stripped Banda of immunity from prosecution, a sign it was getting
closer to bringing formal charges against him.
Banda,
who led Africa's top copper producer from 2008 to 2011, has maintained his
innocence.
The
former president was questioned for nearly three hours after his arrest, his
lawyer Sakwiba Sikota said, adding that Banda had done nothing wrong.
Banda
later appeared before supporters telling them to remain calm and that he would
win his case in court.
Banda
was defeated in 2011 by rival Michael Sata, whose government has launched
several high-profile corruption probes into deals struck by the former
administration.
(Reporting
by Chris Mfula; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Ed Stoddard)
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