Harare – A Zimbabwe court denied bail on Tuesday to ousted president Robert Mugabe’s foreign minister, who was arrested at the airport on corruption charges as he returned from seven years abroad.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi has been remanded in custody until July 1, after the court dismissed his application to cancel outstanding warrants of arrest. pic.twitter.com/tpMwXIlTUP
— The Herald Zimbabwe (@HeraldZimbabwe) June 17, 2025
The allegations include that he stole $1.6 million in donations while tourism minister, prior to taking the foreign affairs portfolio.
His lawyer told the court that Mzembi had not been able to return to face trial because he was receiving medical treatment in South Africa.
In revoking the bail, magistrate Donald Ndirowei said: “It has not been proved that for all these years he was bedridden such that he could not travel to Zimbabwe to cancel his warrants of arrests.”
Former foreign minister Walter Mzembi (first out of the truck) arrives at the Harare Magistrates Court where a default inquiry will be held on his 3 outstanding warrants for skipping trial in 2018. His lawyers will argue that he was receiving treatment
📹 @ZwVoice pic.twitter.com/sm7oDTAP8u
— ZimLive (@zimlive) June 16, 2025
The magistrate remanded Mzembi in custody until July 1 pending trial.
The 61-year-old was first arrested months after the coup that installed President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose government has moved to prosecute former Mugabe loyalists, mostly for alleged corruption.
After Mzembi told the courts in 2018 that he was battling stomach cancer, he was granted bail and left the country.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: X/@Godietsenengam
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Source: AFP
