Mr Chiluba, 61, who already faces charges of “theft by a public servant”, amounting to several million dollars during his ten years in office, was granted bail by Lusaka magistrates after pleading not guilty. His trial is expected to begin later this month, when he will face 113 charges relating to alleged unauthorised diversion of state funds.

Mr Chiluba’s critics say that his protestations of innocence have been severely damaged by claims made by Vera Chiluba, the former First Lady, that her former husband had amassed a vast fortune while in power.

Mrs Chiluba, who was divorced by the former President two years ago after 33 years of marriage, is seeking a multimillion-dollar settlement, together with half of their fixed assets, including six houses and a farm, and Mr Chiluba’s 400-strong herd of cows, goats and sheep. She insists that her former husband has the money and that she is willing to prove it in court.

The latest corruption allegation arises out of the transfer of $29.7 million by the Zambian Ministry of Finance to an account held by the Zambian National Commercial Bank in London, ostensibly to fund overseas intelligence operations, which the prosecution alleges was plundered for personal gain by Mr Chiluba and his aides.

Xavier Chungu, Mr Chiluba’s former intelligence chief, and Katele Kalumba, his former Finance Minister, have also been charged with complicity in the alleged multimillion-dollar intelligence fraud. Both are in prison in Lusaka awaiting trial.

President Mwanawasa, who was chosen by Mr Chiluba to take over the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy when he stepped down in 2001, has electrified Zambia by launching the country’s biggest anti-corruption drive since independence from Britain in 1964.

Zambia’s Anti-Corruption Commission announced in July that they had seized all of Mr Chiluba’s assets in Belgium, believed to include several properties worth more than $1 million, and were investigating other properties in South Africa, Britain, the United States, Panama and the Bahamas.

Mr Chiluba, a former bus conductor and trade union leader before coming to power in 1991, ending 27 years of socialist rule under Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia’s first President, has vehemently denied the allegations, insisting that he was the victim of a political witch-hunt.

Robert Simeza, his lawyer said: “Mr Chiluba considers the charges laughable. We will not lose sleep over any of these allegations.”

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