Brother of Zambia's president found dead in hotel room

The brother of Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa was found dead in a hotel room in Pretoria today, South African police said.

A hotel manager, reportedly related to Rex Mwanawasa, discovered the 43-year-old’s body in bed about 10am, police spokeswoman Mary Martins-Engelbrecht said.

The cause of death was under investigation, police said.

The door to Mwanawasa’s room had been unlocked when the manager went to check on Mwanawasa when he did not turn up for an appointment.

He had last been seen alive about 4am, police said.

Mwanawasa, a sales manager for a Zambian company, arrived in South Africa on Thursday on private business.

His brother took office in December and has been conducting a campaign to investigate corruption in his predecessor’s administration.