Fugitive ex-president's son: I'II not return to ZambiaBy MICHAEL CHAWE in Lusaka | Tuesday, April 17   2012 at  19:14

Former Zambia President Rupiah Banda’s fugitive son Henry said Tuesday he would not return to that country for fear of being “persecuted”, local media reported.

Henry, who is wanted in his home country for corruption allegations officials say he may have committed during his father’s three-year rule, said he had "reliable inside information that he is a marked man".

Henry said it would be unwise to return to his country because of the refusal of the Zambian authorities to identify the supposed charges against him.

“Banda said his legal representatives had contacted both the Zambian and the South African authorities to establish the facts about his case, “state-owned Times of Zambia reported, quoting the Mail and Guardian.

“However, the Zambian authorities had ignored his legal representatives' requests for information, which supported the view that the charges were fabricated.”

Henry is reported to have said he had "legitimate doubts" about whether he could receive fair treatment from the Zambian authorities.

Mr Moses Chikane, the South African High Commissioner to Zambia, told the Zambian media that his country could not hand over anyone to a foreign government in the absence of “solid charges”.

Henry also revealed that he held permanent residence status for many years by virtue of being married to a South African citizen.