Former Zambian president,
Mr. Rupiah Banda, was
Monday arrested by the
country’s law enforcement
agents over allegations of
corruption and abuse of
office, following a crude oil
import deal with Nigeria.
Banda was also alleged to
have misappropriated about
$11 million during his three-
year reign as President of the
country.
The country’s authorities are
accusing him of procuring oil
which did not benefit the
country.
He was said to have
imported crude oil from
Nigeria, without actual
deliveries, despite the fact
that the funds were
deposited into the bank
account of his son.
Banda, who was released
from police custody and is
due to appear in court on
Tuesday, however, said the
moves against him are
politically motivated.
He was questioned for close
to three hours after his
arrest related to the oil deal
Monday before he was
released on bail.
Banda denies the charges,
and his lawyers claim the
arrest is an attempt by
current President Michael
Sata to silence him.
After his release, Banda
appeared before his
supporters and told them to
remain calm, reassuring
them he would win his case
in court.
Earlier this month, parliament
lifted Banda’s presidential
immunity, clearing the way
for him to be prosecuted for
several corruption and abuse
of office charges.
Banda lost to President
Michael Sata in 2011
elections. The new
government has been
pursuing the corruption
investigations against the
former leader and his
political allies.
Banda, born 13 February
1937, was President of
Zambia from 2008 to 2011.

this is somehow connected to the nigerian subsidy scandal and the funny thing is we are still grappling with a gross lack of courage to make arrests.