Former Tourism Minister in the dock

Former Zimbabwean Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi and his alleged accomplice, Aaron Mushoriwa, has been granted bail and ordered to reappear in the Harare Magistrate's Court on 7 March. NewsDay reports that they have been charged with the theft of $1.6m from a trust fund. They were not asked to plead when they appeared before Magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa. Mzembi’s lawyer, Job Sikhala filed a notice to challenge his client’s arrest by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, saying it was a clear abuse of state power. The prosecution claims that they siphoned funds for the 20th UN World Tourism Organisation conference which was held in Zimbabwe and Zambia in August 2013. They allegedly opened a bank account in the name of 'Conventions Africa' with ZB Bank and made themselves signatories to the account.