By A Correspondent| Former Tourism and Hospitality Minister Walter Mzembi has been remanded in custody until Tuesday, pending a court ruling on written submissions he filed explaining his failure to attend previous court hearings.

Mzembi, who returned to Zimbabwe on Saturday after spending several years in self-imposed exile, was immediately arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) upon arrival. He is facing three counts of defaulting court appearances in connection with pending corruption-related charges stemming from his time in government.

Harare Magistrate Donald Ndirowei confirmed that the court will deliver a ruling on Mzembi’s submissions tomorrow, which are expected to provide justification for his prolonged absence from Zimbabwe and continued evasion of court processes.

The charges against Mzembi relate to allegations that he misappropriated public funds during his tenure as Tourism Minister, particularly in connection with the 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Mzembi fled the country in 2018, citing political persecution in the aftermath of the November 2017 military coup that ousted the late former President Robert Mugabe. He is believed to have been residing in South Africa, where he continued to make occasional political commentary while remaining out of reach of Zimbabwean authorities.

His surprise return has reignited debate around the treatment of former officials who fled Zimbabwe post-coup, with some suggesting Mzembi could be seeking a political comeback or attempting to negotiate immunity.

The court is expected to decide whether Mzembi’s reasons for defaulting justify his continued freedom or warrant his continued detention.