LUSAKA, December 7, Zambian anti-graft authorities arrested former foreign minister Joseph Malanji on Tuesday for possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Following his election in August, Zambia's new president Hakainde Hichilema pledged to step up the fight against graft and recover state assets stolen under the previous government, which has also left Zambia in a multibillion dollar debt crisis that has forced it to seek help from the International Monetary Fund.
Malanji, 56, is accused of possessing a Bell 430 helicopter valued at about $1.4 million, which is suspected to have been acquired from proceeds of crime, the Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit said in a statement.
He was unavailable for comment when Reuters tried to call him, and he has said nothing about the charges in the past.
Malanji is accused of possessing three other properties suspected to have been bought from proceeds of crime, for which he paid $16,733, $14,311 and $18,955 in cash in Lusaka.
Malanji was charged with the former Secretary of Treasury Fredson Yamba over an irregular transfer of over 154 million kwacha $192,000 to the Zambian mission in Turkey. Yamba was not available for comment, neither has he commented in the past.
Yamba was released on bail while Malanji was detained in police custody until he meets the conditions set for him to be granted a police bond, the anti-money laundering unit said.