Chiluba has so far shown NO RESPECT for either the Zambian courts or the Zambian people, and so I find it rather insulting that these two Zambians here attempt to “twist” facts by claiming Chiluba has a “large following” in Zambia et cetera, for what? Chiluba and his thieving friends shattered many Zambians’ livelihoods (and you should know that, if you’re Zambians!). Therefore, to “Mary” & “Danny”, I say it is equally arrogant of you to try and hide the fact that many—if not MOST—Zambians are VERY BITTER about Chiluba, his thuggery and self-righteousness. I’m a Zambian myself and so please tell me no lies! What has Chiluba revealed to Zambians? Has he been cooperating? Why not? Why are Chungu & Co. hiding? Wake up, this is the 21st century. What planet are you living on? This is not about CIA, bla-bla-blah … Chiluba is a thief! Period. Glad that he's finally getting his pay.

Kelly Inambao, Aachen, Germany

Let the british people run their own affairs. Let Zambians handle their own affairs. Chiluba has alot of following in Zambia, and surrounding nations. British people please do not lead us to what happenned in Rwanda, and then you stand aside to see people massacre themselves. Let the Zambian courts complete their work. Do you investigate your secrete intelligence accounts? What about FBI, CIA?

DANNY, Lusaka, Zambia

Dont judge the man before you know the facts. This was just a cooked up case which some of us right thinking zambians can not be fooled with. Reading on the internet is not at all aways flowing with the basic facts on the ground. Its sad that such a case has taken place in my mother land. Mwanawasa will live to regrate his actions. He has set a very bad and wrong precedent. Mark my words Mwanawasa will also go through the same rubbish. This is being done at the expence of development. Am upset about this. We have so much work to do to make peoples lives better but they are busy witch hunting.

Mary, Lusaka , Zambia

I find it hard to believe that anyone who had seen first hand the poverty in Africa could express such sentiments as, " don't give them the aid, let nature take its course". If you have seen, as you purport to have, Zambia and met the people of this wonderful and tragic land, as I have, then you of all people should know how they need Western aid more than ever before. I thought such ignorance was reserved to those who had never seen the hardship for themselves, I see now that I was wrong.

John, London

John, London,

To John of London
I'm not Russian so don't make inferences simply by where I live. Secondly, I lived in Malawi for 10 years and even happened to drive through Zambia during the election campaigns for Mr Chiluba, how well I remember the hope we all had that Chiluba would prove to be a better leader than Kaunda. And how sad it is to read of what has happened 12 years on. Even with H.E. (His Excellency) as our dictator in Malawi, Banda, was known there was huge corruption. What do you say about a ruler whose 13 palaces have a budget larger than that of the nation's educational system? Go and live in these countries and then make your judgements.

Alice, Moscow,

Paul A/ Robbins, Alamosa, CO, USA say :you are the mother country.and live up to your responsibilities...here you statement seems to call for imperialism and tells people that it is right t o intefere other countries interial affairs..it just seems to me ridiculous

Tan Wei Wei, Nan Chang , China

The question is - when global warming really does bite into Africa in just a few years - where will all this corrupt scum end up? In the UK of course! Just like all the others: Jamaican yardies, Russian oligarchs, Albanian white-slavers, Chinese triads, Rwandan mass-murderers, decrepit baltic Nazis, Nigerian fraudsters - you name it they're all here and welcome with open arms

Chris Thomas, Oxford, England

The bleeding-heart left want you to belive that men like Mr. Chiluba is an exception to the rule. And yet from Nkrumah to Kenyata to Nyerere to Kaunda to Mugabe to Chiluba, Whitehall has suppoted these dictators with your money!
Considering conditions in Africa at present, perhaps it is time for a change in policy. Come on people, in spite of what the British National Party says, you are the mother country. Live up to your responsibilites!

Paul A/ Robbins, Alamosa, CO, USA

One of the reasons leaders are always trying to extend their period in office past the normal term isn't their vanity or need for power but their fear of prosecution as here. Imagine what will be revealed after Mugabe leaves office! But in most cases for every corrupt leader there are western salesmen and bankers ready to offer all sorts of luxury goods and put their stolen money in safe bank accounts, and secret government agencies who will use the corruption generated as leverage over the governments they have corrupted. Let's blame the leaders who are so easily corrupted but also remember those with money and power have more alternatives than those without. Then of course the very poor have fewer alternatives than the corrupted leaders so what we really need is change at all levels.

Christopher Hobe Morrison, Middletown, Orange County, NY, USA

To James Gough, d, ireland

African American aren't African. African American have grave issues in the USA to work on.

African American do give aid, not just Oprah or rap stars. African American when giving aid just do it, they actually frown upon publicty as not being true to giving.

African American are great contributors in many Diaspora countries. Building businesses and creating distribution channels for African businesses here in the USA. Most of these products are sold in African American neighborhoods and there is hardly any main stream marketing ocurring. That would be a waist of funds.

Many African American from non-African American neighborhoods in the US do go into African American neighborhoods to find these products.

It is slowly growing. There are economic inequalities that hold up progress.

African American do have organizations whos purpose is to build economies throughout the African DIaspora countries.

Monique, Knoxville,

To say that this happens in "every country" is as goofy as saying the Holocaust happened in every country. Worse, such statements reflect willful stupidity. Massive, systemic, and pervasive corruption is happening in some countries, not in others. It happens in countries where checks and balances do not exist, the rule of law (not popular "leaders") is not followed, constitutions are just pieces of paper, the concept of the loyal opposition is not treasured, truly independent judiciaries do not operate, and apolitical civil society is weak, and excessive deference in paid to "leaders" by ardent followers. To say that systemic and pervasive corruption afflicts all countries is irresponsible, childish avoidance of reality. It afflicts some countries, not others, and it destroys those two all important "glues" of society--trust and hope. It turns independent citizens into childlike Wards of the State.

James, Jacksonville, Illinois 62650

i wonder when this is going to happen in uk and generally other countries.its good that people like him are taken to court but what about the fat cats in london and other parts of the world.politicians are all corrupt,this is the nature of politics.
have you ever seen a member of the parliament living in a council flat or driving an old banger like many of us?no !!
they all live a life of luxury at the poor tax payers cost.
we get poorer they get richer.very simple.

ebbi, london,

These countries need tough laws with long prison sentences for politicians who steal.

Em Hawthorne, Ottawa, Can

So what lesson is the West going to learn from this? Why is it always so late when a hugh quantity of wealth has been plundered by despotic leaders that such news becomes headlines? Come on, the world has moved on and it is time that institutions are set up at international levels to ensure that aid reaches those it is aimed for.

Subhash, London, UK

Surely this is the height of hypocrisy on the part of western governments. In the league of most corrupt statesmen, the former president of Zambia is a very small fry indeed. According to the news article he stole £23 million from his people over a period of ten years. This is a very tiny sum indeed compared with billions embezzled by many rulers in the Middle East and other African states. The west choose to turn a blind eye to all these corrupt regimes because they are their business partners. Some of these dictatorial leaders are actually popped up by the so called democratic countries because they can derive political or financial benefits from them. In the world of international politics there are only two reason why powerful Western countries refuse to interven to get rid of despots. Either there is nothing to gain or the despots are prepared to become their puppets. We only have to look at the colonial past of the so called developed countries to find out their true colours.

Wing, Poole, UK

Gareth Evans, while £50,000 over ten years isn't a large presidential salary, I think you'd find it hard to argue that £2.3 million a year was only adequate. He might very well have needed to dress well etc as Head of State, but I'm pretty sure even Bush and Blair don't spend that much.

Sarah, Manchester,

The West has transferred $2.3 trilllion dollars in aid to the third would in the past 50 years, most of it to Africa and most to little effect.

That's $2,300,000,000,000.

The recipients have been what the locals call the WaBenzi - the elites in their chauffeur driven Mercedes limousines.

These despots of necessity have to buy the luxuries and hide their money in the West - for example Arafat's wife's $10 million bank account in France.

The splendid Zambians have shown us - and despots everywhere - that just one uncorrupted government can recover those ill-gotten gains.

Gandalf, London,

As a leader of Zambia he would have to look smart to be able to meet with international leaders. Surely this is a cost of doing business... why should he have been responsible for that cost? Especially as he only received GBP50,000 over the period.

Gareth Evans, London, UK

As suggested by Gold if all aid-money is given to NGOs instead of Governments(thereby openly antagonizing the Governments) ,then NGOs are likely to be chased out by those states. That won't be good for anyone.NGOs have no right to stay in a country without the express permission of the host state. After all, there is no guarantee that NGOs are not prone to corruption when showered with millions of aid. Curruption is a world-wide problem and not restricted to African states or other poor countries.

Sam Towers, Leeds, UK

Where are all the African Americans and what are they doing about it? its seems they only dwell in the past it is about time with there influence they started to take some responsibility about there fellow people instead of sitting on the fence . BILLY CAMPBELL

James Gough, d, ireland

The west is to realise the hypocricy of their own very engagements. Despots and dictators who hang around mocking democracy are part of Africa's political and economic illhealth. Stolen elections in Nigeria, resistance to free and fair elections in Cameroon, revision of constitutions to to get more mandates in Chad, Gabon etc. Western leaders stay mute for one reason, All leaders involved, are instructed to impoverish their unfortunate citizens to enrich shops and banks of the developped nations. To the amusement of the beneficiary states. Reason Chiluba is judged in abstentia.

Moh Ma-Timbui, Yaoundé, Cameroon

People say 'typical Africans' as if this doesn't happen everywhere, in every country, without us knowing about it, at least in one form or another. Take all the ministers and their "expenses" last year? It might be smaller scale, and dressed up, but it's still the people's money, going somewhere they don't want it to. Power corrupts.

Sarah, London, UK

I am genuinely shocked by the views expressed by some of your readers, " let nature take its course" - what on earth does that mean? Allow millions to starve as a result of the actions of the cynical and greedy few? If that attitude had been employed throughout history how many now prosperous and 'developed' countries would be in the position they are in now? I note the countries of orgin for some of the comments... last time I looked Russian and Italian politics were not exactly hotbeds of political integrity. People in glass houses....

John, London,

nothing new here then not the first wont be the last
corrupt African governments and statesmen and we the
western taxpayer allow our governments to give our
monies away in aid ,perhaps its time to send food
and clothes and equipment not hard cash.

george william taylor, hull, uk

Makes one think of where the £8.2bn Blair has donated in aid to Africa will end. Purchasing stately homes for the mass of dishonest potentates for starters?

Jack Williams, Newtown, Powys

This is peanuts when compared to most African leaders going back to Jomo Kenyata right up to the president. It is the history of Africa and will remain so. Put a pound into the red cross charity box, 50% will be swallowed up by lawyers and the african leaders and the rest buys bullets. What else would you expect?

m wilson, bidache, france

Where is this guy now? Was this a trial in his absence - the article doesn't say. My guess is that he's living the life of Riley in some other parasitic despot's country.

I don't know the facts of this case but Chiluba and people of his ilk (most of whom are in Africa) receive large amounts of foreign aid which is then stolen. Very little aid ends up where it is meant to. The debts are then written off by the West so we are therefore complicit in this crime.

I have two ways to reduce this disgraceful theft which has sentenced millions of people to poverty and even death:

1. End all foreign aid to all governments (NGOs can continue to operate and give the aid money to these NGOs).

2. Prevent these thieves investing their ill-gotten gains with sanctions (locking up the chief executives) against the banks who handle this stolen money and who take huge chunks of it for themselves. For example, what proportion of the money in Hedge Funds is stolen from the people of Africa?

Alan Gold, London,

Chiluba, the king of political cynism!!!!!!! Africa's problem is the abject failure or inexistence of civil society. So much so that corrupt government goes untouched only to be replaced by new corrupt leaders and with the military waiting in the backyard.

ac, london, UK

Plus ca change, plus ca reste la meme.
Don't give them the aid. Let nature take its course.

Alice, Moscow,

turning a blind eye to corruption is a bit like the monkey that does not hear ,see,and cant talk , and a monkey that does not talk, see, or hear. in the end it starves,cant ask for help, and doest hear the train comming,

finn,m, italy, italy

Is it really that suprising? This is a routine and conventional matter that exists in many other countries but the world either knows too little or simply turns a blind eye. It's time for a wide and stringent investigation, starting with Iraq where billons in aid and public revenue finds its way into the many pockets of the politicians or so called servants of the country.

Garry Alden, Lancashire, UK

Shock horror......an African leader who is corrupted by greed and has a total lack of interest in the welfare of the people.

Edward, Singapore,

There is the old world.
There is the new world.
There is the corrupt world.
There is no third world.

A Cox, Melbourne, Australia

What esle is new about our continent? The person in power savages his predecessor, like Chiluba did to kaunda, and goes all sanctimonious on us. After all is said and done, his record turns out to be worse a million times over than the prdecessor. look at countries like Gambia, Ghana, Zimbabwe, etc.

jana jane, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania