FORMER Western Province minister in the MMD government, Richard Mwapela has been arrested for alleged forgery and theft.

A joint Government investigations team in Western Province arrested the former minister on alleged charges of nine counts of forgery,theft by public servant and uttering false documents.

Chairperson, Fanwell Siandenge, said investigations had since been extended to other senior Government officers concerning irregular retiring of imprest and forged receipts.

Mr Mwapela has been slapped with three counts of forgery, three counts of uttering false documents, three counts of abuse of authority of office and theft by public servant.

Mr Siandenge said Mr Mwapela is alleged to have instructed the then Provincial Permanent Secretary, Seth Muleya to retrieve K48,260,000 from the Constituency Development Fund.

The money was allegedly retrieved from Ndala Kawengu Construction Company which was contracted to put up Green Market in Kalabo District in 2010.

Mr Mwapela did not deposit the money he allegedly got from Government coffers.

Mr Siandenge said in other offences, Mr Mwapela retired accountable imprest amounting to K16,180,000 using alleged forged receipts between June 10 and October 13, 2010.

"I can confirm that Mr Mwapela has been arrested and charged with six counts. He retired accountable imprest amounting to K16,180,000 using forged receipts in 2010 bearing Cross Roads and Lui Holiday Homes of Lusaka when he was provincial minister and Kalabo Central Member of Parliament," he said.

Mr Mwapela was released on bond and immediately appeared in the Mongu Magistrate's Court where he denied all the nine allegations.

In another development, a clerical officer in the procurement unit at the Western Province administration office, Nosiku Lifuka has been jailed for one year.

She was arrested for using prominent business executive, Amatende Lubosi's company to print forged receipts for fuel involving K3,114,900.

Mr Siandenge said Lifuka was convicted on three counts of theft by public servant and three counts of forgery and another three counts of uttering of a false d0cument.