By Crime and Courts Reporter– Former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi was swarmed by more than ten plain-clothed state security agents as he appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court on Saturday, creating a dramatic scene that looked more like the escort of a dangerous fugitive than a former cabinet minister.
Dressed in civilian clothes but moving in coordinated formation, the secret police surrounded Mzembi from all sides, shielding him from the public and media as if he were a high-risk criminal.
The heavy security presence shocked onlookers and highlighted the high stakes surrounding Mzembi’s sensational return from self-imposed exile.
Mzembi appeared before magistrate Don Ndirowei, facing charges related to three outstanding warrants of arrest.
Ndirowei remanded him in custody and postponed the case to Monday, while the tight-lipped security detail hustled Mzembi back into holding cells under watchful eyes.
Mzembi, a former G40 stalwart who fled Zimbabwe in the aftermath of the 2017 military coup that toppled Robert Mugabe, had returned to the country earlier this week under mysterious circumstances.
His quiet arrival and reports of private meetings with President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the Bronte Hotel triggered speculation of a potential political comeback—or a negotiated immunity deal.
But his dramatic arrest by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) over the weekend has poured cold water on that narrative.
Sources say Mzembi was picked up early Saturday morning and handed over to ZACC investigators, who are now vetting his role in unresolved corruption cases dating back to his tenure in government.
Mzembi’s surprise return had already drawn sharp criticism from war veterans and opposition figures, who accused him of “cutting secret deals in the shadows” and betraying the victims of past political purges. His arrest has now raised fresh questions: Was he lured back under false pretenses? Or did a backroom deal go sour?
Observers say the overwhelming security detail escorting Mzembi to court was not just for protection—but a message.
It signals a high-level power play, possibly orchestrated from within the ruling elite itself, and underscores the volatility of Zimbabwe’s post-coup political landscape.
More developments are expected as Mzembi’s court case unfolds on Monday.