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Ex-Malawi head faces graft bureau Ex-Malawi leader on graft charges
(about 2 hours later)
Ex-Malawian President Bakili Muluzi is appearing before the Anti-Corruption Bureau to answer claims he defrauded the state out of more than $10m (£7m). Ex-Malawian President Bakili Muluzi has been arrested, accused of stealing $11m (£7.7m) in donor money, says the country's Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Mr Muluzi has been accused of diverting foreign aid money into his private bank accounts while in office. The ACB said Mr Muluzi had been charged on 87 counts of allegedly siphoning aid cash into his private account.
He denies any wrongdoing and has challenged the legality of the bureau's investigation. Alex Nampota, the director of the ACB, told reporters the former president would appear in court later.
His supporters say it is a politically-motivated campaign to stop Mr Muluzi standing in May's election. Mr Muluzi, a candidate in May polls, denies any wrongdoing and has disputed the legality of the ACB investigation.
The BBC's Ralph Tenthani in Blantyre says the former president was accompanied by supporters as he arrived at the bureau, which was cordoned off by armed police. He was arrested after appearing at the bureau in Blantyre on Thursday morning to answer the allegations against him.
A warrant was issued for Mr Muluzi on Wednesday, warning he risked arrest if he failed to appear before the bureau. His supporters say the case is politically-motivated to stop him standing in the forthcoming presidential election.
'Obvious stratagem' The inquiry comes amid concern that violence could flare before the forthcoming presidential election.
The inquiry comes at a time of concern that violence could flare up before the forthcoming presidential election, which Mr Muluzi hopes to contest. 'Witch-hunt'
The former presidents of Mozambique (Joacquim Chissano) and Ghana (John Kufuor) were in Malawi on Wednesday to try to calm tensions. The former presidents of Mozambique, Joacquim Chissano, and Ghana, John Kufuor, were in Malawi on Wednesday to try to calm tensions.
Henry Mvula, Mr Muluzi's aide, told the BBC's Network Africa programme the former Malawian president had nothing to hide and dismissed the case as a witch-hunt. Henry Mvula, Mr Muluzi's aide, earlier told the BBC's Network Africa programme the former Malawian president had nothing to hide and dismissed the case as a witch-hunt.
He said it was "meant to bar or muscle out someone from the process, to keep someone so busy within the context of the courtroom" in a "typical African way of running away from competition". He said it was "meant to keep someone so busy within the context of the courtroom" in a "typical African way of running away from competition".
Malawi political analyst Rafiq Hajat told Network Africa: "If a court case is initiated against a candidate, their candidacy is immediately put into doubt. I think the political stratagem is fairly obvious."Malawi political analyst Rafiq Hajat told Network Africa: "If a court case is initiated against a candidate, their candidacy is immediately put into doubt. I think the political stratagem is fairly obvious."
Mr Muluzi, who is leader of the opposition United Democratic Front, was president between 1994-2004. Opposition United Democratic Front leader Mr Muluzi, who was president between 1994-2004, plans to stand against current head of state, Bingu wa Mutharika.
Mr Mutharika was Mr Muluzi's hand-picked successor but soon after he was elected, the pair fell out and Mr Mutharika formed his own party.