Former President Acquitted

Frederick Chiluba, president from 1991 to 2002, was cleared of all corruption charges on August 17. However, the two business executives, the co-accused in the case, were found guilty of theft and possession of state funds, and were imprisoned for three years. The verdict has provoked mixed responses. While the country's anti-corruption task force has described the corruption case as proof of its resolution to fight crime within a strong legal framework, we believe that concerns will remain not only regarding the efficacy of the prosecution, but also the independence of the judgement and the government's commitment to fighting corruption.

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