Last week a judge said funds Mr Chiluba was accused of embezzling could not be traced to government money.

Afterwards, Mr Nkole went against government advice to prepare an appeal.

In contrast to late President Levy Mwanawasa, Zambia's new president, Rupiah Banda, has spoken favourably of Mr Chiluba's rule and praised him.

Mr Chiluba, who has famously extravagant tastes, handpicked Mr Mwanawasa when he stood down in 2001 after 10 years in power.

But Mr Mwanwasa almost immediately stripped him of immunity from prosecution and set up the anti-corruption task force.

Mr Banda won elections last year after Mr Mwanawasa's death.

Repoeter say with the dismissal of Mr Nkole, few expect the case against Mr Chiluba to go any further.

In a separate case two years ago, the High Court in London ruled that Mr Chiluba had defrauded the Zambian government of £23m using London-based bank accounts.

Mr Chiluba refused to accept the ruling, labelling it "racist".

His wife, Regina Chiluba, was jailed in March for receiving stolen funds while her husband was in office. She is appealing against the sentence.