Manuel Rosales, the outgoing governor of the oil-rich state of Zulia, is accused of defrauding the state lottery and misusing public funds.

He has denied the accusations, saying they amount to a political lynching of President Hugo Chavez’s opponents.

Mr Rosales ran against Mr Chavez in the last presidential election in 2006.

During the recent regional election campaign, Mr Chavez repeatedly threatened Mr Rosales with prison, taunting him at rallies by saying that a prison cell was waiting for him.