Maravi

Fugitive Chungu returns, gets arrested at airport

Fugitive Chungu returns, gets arrested at airport
Written by Lambwe Kachali, Laura Mushaukwa-Hamusute and Maluba Jere
Thursday, December 04, 2008 4:57:46 AM

FUGITIVE former intelligence chief Xavier Chungu was yesterday arrested upon arrival at Lusaka International Airport. And Chungu, who is currently detained at Lusaka Central Prison, appeared in the magistrate's court late yesterday for return of bench warrant.

Meanwhile, the Task Force on Corruption has said cutting a deal with Chungu so that he turns a state witness is out of the question. Chungu arrived at Lusaka International Airport around 12:00 hours and was recognised by one of the immigration officers.

According to sources, the immigration officer only identified Chungu facially because he was said to have a different name in the passport.

"But one of the immigration officers identified him and informed other officers that Xavier Chungu has come, the man that the country has been looking for, for the past couple of years.

Thereafter, police were informed, who later called their bosses to be instructed where to take him," the source said. "Chungu was then put in a separate room at the airport. Police officers were then instructed that he should be taken to the Inspector General of Police."

Chungu was later driven out of the airport in a blue Pajero registration number ABA 4969.

Chungu was taken into the office of acting Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde amid tight security. When they entered Kabonde's office, one of the officers introduced Chungu to Kabonde's secretaries and asked if he [Kabonde] was in the office.

"In case you may be wondering, this is Mr Xavier Chungu and we have brought him to the IG," said the officer.

But the two secretaries replied that Kabonde was not in the office and told them to wait for a while.

As they were taken to the waiting room within Kabonde's office, one officer realised that the author was from The Post, and immediately told him to leave because Chungu's meeting would not be open to the media.

"You are from The Post; please, can you leave us alone. It's too early for you. You will know the details later, but for now, please leave us," said the officer angrily.

After about ten minutes, Chungu's lawyer Nicholas Chanda arrived and went straight to Kabonde's office to see his client.

Chungu held discussions with Kabonde from 13:00 to 14:45 hours.

After the meeting, Chanda said Chungu had been slapped with contempt of court charge, for jumping bail in 2004. He said Chungu had brought himself to clear cases against him before the courts of law.

Chanda said Chungu was interrogated by the police and officials from the Task Force on Corruption, but declined to give details.

Asked where Chungu had been hiding for the past four years, Chanda refused to give details.

"We have brought ourselves, so no one has arrested us because we presented ourselves, and so there is no warrant of arrest. He has come from somewhere, but not within Zambia. So far everything is fine. We had some officers from the Task Force, the whole team. It's a full team," Chanda said.

And Chungu later in the afternoon appeared for return of bench warrant before a magistrate's court.

However, the magistrate, who sat in for Ndola High Court Deputy Registrar Jones Chinyama adjourned the matter to next Tuesday. This is to enable Chungu to appear before magistrate Chinyama, who sits as magistrate in Lusaka, and has conduct of the matter.

Meanwhile, Task Force on Corruption executive chairman Maxwell Nkole said there would be no deal to cut with Chungu and that it was important that Chungu goes through the courts of law. Nkole said the decision as to whether Chungu would turn state witness was dependent on the prosecutors handling the case.

"We respect and we are happy that he voluntarily took the plane back home but it's important that he goes through the courts which will determine whether he is guilty or innocent," Nkole said. "But there is no deal from here or the government on him being turned state witness. He has to answer the charges starting from contempt to the others."

Nkole said Chungu was at liberty to become witness if the prosecutors think he has material evidence to that effect, although he still remained a person charged with criminal offences. He also said Chungu's arrest brought to an end one of the vexing issues that the Task Force had been dealing with in international boundaries.

Nkole said most of the plunder cases currently before the courts of law boiled down to Chungu and that his arrest was therefore relevant to the cases.

"His coming back is helpful. We are not here to persecute, but his presence will enable the interested parties to call him to clarify issues that need to be clarified," Nkole said.

He said the Task Force on Corruption intensified its tracking efforts of fugitives and suspects alike in foreign borders. Nkole said Chungu's surrender followed protracted efforts by the government's law enforcement agencies working with the Task Force on Corruption to ensure that both the local warrant of arrest and the Interpol arrest warrant were executed.

Nkole, who declined to state the country where Chungu was coming from for security reasons, said the Task Force was interested in knowing how he escaped from Zambia and warned that if there were people who knew, they too risked being arrested.

"We are ready to meet him head on, whether he speaks for the prosecution or the defence," he said.

Nkole said Chungu would appear in court on contempt charges while the other criminal charges would be recommenced at a later stage.

"At Police headquarters, Mr Chungu was arrested for an initial charge of contempt of court that he jumped bail on 1st June 2004 and went into self imposed exile whilst facing charges of theft by public servant and theft of motor vehicles," said Nkole.

Labels: XAVIER CHUNGU

posted by MrK @ 4:57 AM