Former president Rupiah Banda’s lawyer Sakwiba Sikota is fearing for his life and that of his client over the manner the joint investigating team are approaching the issues.
Commenting on the warn and caution of Banda at the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) offices yesterday, Sikota said the questioning of Banda is a spine chilling experience.
He said the interrogation of Banda has left him frightened than ever before in his entire life.
The joint investigations team on Thursday questioned Banda for over 90 minutes on the acquisition of the Baobab land in Lusaka’s Makeni area among other issues.
Sikota is afraid that the interrogations even stretched to a private meeting that the former president had with another Head of State from the Southern Africa region.
“I am telling you I’m frightened. I have never been frightened in my life like this before especially that they had to reach an extent where they want to get the details of discussions between the former president with another president in the region. It’s frightening,” he said.
Spokesperson Namukolo Kasumpa said Banda was interviewed under warn and caution in connection with the acquisition of the Baobab land. She declined to give more details saying they will continue with the interrogations after agreeing on another date with the lawyers.
Banda is already facing charges of abuse of authority of office regarding the campaign materials in the last general elections. It is alleged that Banda’s government diverted money from the sale of Nigerian crude oil into a separate bank account instead of the National Treasury. The charges, according to observers, are trumped and politically motivated.
Banda, 76, was released on 500,000 kwacha ($93,000) bail after surrendering his passport and will be appear in court for trial tomorrow for the Nigerial oil deal allegations.
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