Graft-accused ex-Minister jailed after evading charges

A Zimbabwe court has dismissed former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi’s application challenging his placement on remand, extending his detention. When he left Zimbabwe in 2018, Mzembi was on bail, and he had convinced the Harare authorities that he needed urgent medical treatment in SA. He never returned home to face trial on serious charges of corruption and criminal abuse of office. IoL reports that Harare Magistrate Donald Ndirowei dismissed Mzembi’s application challenging his placement on remand. The Herald newspaper reported the matter was postponed. Authorities in the post-Robert Mugabe-era have issued warrants of arrest against Mzembi since 2008, after Mugabe was unceremoniously removed from power. The court has recently had confirmation of three outstanding warrants of arrest against Mzembi, who previously held different Cabinet posts in Mugabe’s regime. Mzembi was arrested on 14 June when he returned to Zimbabwe from SA, where he had spent seven years.