Zambia's Corrupt Frederick Chiluba - Ctrl.Alt.Shift

Our MP expenses scandal was ridiculous, but this may be worse, much worse. In his 10-year reign on top, Richie Rich aka former Zambian President Frederick Chiluba allegedly spent around US$40 million of the people's money for his flash suits and gifts for the wifey... I feel ickly enough thinking about our members of UK parliament enjoying second homes and maid service on taxpayer's buck, but it cushions the blow, ever so slightly, to know I have a warm home, nice clean water to wash the dirt off my shoulder, no diseases, and a job that provides me with more than £1 a day; unlike many of the Zambian citizens. Get my point? Stealing from the poor to give to the rich is not the Robin Hood way. Here's my Ctrl.Alt.Shift report on the matter:

Young Blood: Chiluba One, Zambia Nil
Our MP expenses debacle was one thing but this is something else. Imagine Gordon Brown or one of his cronies reportedly gambling away the taxpayer's money, spending health care cash on a new golf club, a shiny new car, or perhaps some diamonds for their pampered wives. Essentially, that is the outrageous situation the people of Zambia face – but there's only one problem – there's not enough substantial evidence (apparently) to bring the corporate culprits down.



The defendant in question is former Zambian president Frederick Chiluba. The man is like Scarface; with humble beginnings as a young bus conductor, before leaping up the ranks as a trade unionist, and finally running the country (for 10 years no less), fully pimped out with designer suits, silk pyjamas and over 100 pairs of squeaky altered shoes (allegedly fitted with two inch heels to raise his 5ft stature). Credit to his rags to riches biography, as he went from driving to being driven - from boutique to boutique. Once he managed to spend a whopping $500,000 on a single visit to a boutique in Geneva.

However, you might ask, how could the little ex-president roll red-carpet style whilst his countrymen struggled on less than $1 a day? The answer to this question was hunted down by the lawyer who started this court room drama some six years ago in 2003, two years after Chiluba stepped down. This maverick lawyer – who was acting on behalf of sued Zambian newspaper, the Post, who were pressed for libel charges after calling Chiluba a thief – somehow gained access to the records of the Zambian intelligence service's bank account in London. These revealed evidence of payments to Chiluba's children, that lovely Geneva boutique and several Zambian officials. Come back to this year, and last week's acquittal by a Lusaka Court, saw Chiluba cleared of stealing $500,000 (£300,000) from the Zambian people. Everything in-between is a corporate blur of corruption...

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