HARARE
–
Former
foreign
affairs
minister
Walter
Mzembi
had
his
bail
revoked
by
a
Harare
magistrate
on
Tuesday,
and
his
corruption
trial
will
resume
on
July
1
with
him
coming
from
prison.
Mzembi
was
on
trial
for
criminal
abuse
of
office
and
theft
of
trust
property
in
2018
when
he
left
the
country,
his
lawyers
said
to
seek
medical
attention
in
South
Africa.
The
61-year-old
did
not
return
home
until
last
week
when
he
was
arrested
on
three
outstanding
warrants
for
failing
to
attend
trial.
Harare
magistrate
Donald
Ndirowei
heard
from
Mzembi’s
legal
team
led
by
Killian
Mandiki,
who
argued
that
the
former
minister
was
being
treated
for
cancer.
Mandiki
said
Mzembi
had
decided
to
return
after
his
health
improved.
But
Ndirowei
said
Mzembi
was
not
so
sick
to
an
extent
that
he
could
not
attend
trial.
He
ruled:
“There
is
a
gap
as
to
what
transpired
in
his
medical
report.
The
attached
medical
report
would
have
worked
if
he
had
availed
himself
in
2020
not
in
2025.
“It
has
not
been
proven
that
for
all
these
years
he
was
bed
ridden
such
that
he
could
not
travel
to
Zimbabwe
to
cancel
his
warrants
of
arrest.
“His
warrants
of
arrest
are
hereby
confirmed,
bail
is
revocked.
The
accused
is
hereby
committed
to
prison
pending
trial.”
The
magistrate
also
noted
that
Mzembi
was
the
campaign
manager
for
presidential
candidate
Saviour
Kasukuwere,
who
announced
his
canpaign
from
his
South
Africa
exile
in
2023
before
he
was
barred
from
standing
by
a
court.
The
charges
against
Mzembi
stem
from
the
disposal
of
televisions
worth
US$2
million
while
he
was
tourism
minister.
The
televisions
bought
for
the
2010
FIFA
World
Cup
fan
parks
were
donated
to
Emmanuel
Makandiwa’s
mega
church
in
Chitungwiza
by
Mzembi,
who
was
arrested
after
the
ouster
of
the
late
former
President
Robert
Mugabe
in
a
2017
military
coup.