Zambian president arrested for theft

LUSAKA, Zambia -- Former Zambian President Frederick Chiluba was arrested and charged Monday with stealing from the government while in office, officials said.\nChiluba was charged at Lusaka Magistrates Court with 59 counts of theft by a public servant.\nThe former president was released on $300,000 bail and ordered to reappear in court Monday. Chiluba, 59, has denied any wrongdoing.\nThe arrest came after anti-corruption police officials questioned him for the second time in a week over allegations he stole millions of dollars from the government while president.\nLast week the Supreme Court ruled against restoring his immunity from prosecution, paving the way for his arrest.\nHis successor, President Levy Mwanawasa, accused him of giving relatives and associates public money funneled through a London bank account used by Zambia's intelligence service.\nPolice officials said questioning of Chiluba last week focused on the London bank account.\nHe also was questioned about withdrawals of large sums of money from government accounts by some of his officials and the alleged use of state funds to purchase a fleet of vehicles for the ruling party's election campaign, police officials said.\nMwanawasa succeeded Chiluba in December 2001.\nChiluba has also been implicated in a corrupt arms deal with Congo involving $20 million in missing state funds.