By Crime and Courts Reporter — Fresh details have emerged surrounding the arrest of former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi, who had reportedly been living in Zambia before his recent detention.

Mzembi was arrested last Friday by officers from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), just days after quietly returning to Zimbabwe and holding a private meeting with President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House.

He is accused of defaulting on court appearances and failing to comply with three outstanding warrants of arrest. On Monday, Mzembi appeared in court for the second time and was remanded in custody until today, when Magistrate Donald Ndirowei is expected to deliver a ruling on the matter.

Mzembi’s lawyer, Mr. Killian Mandiki, filed written submissions arguing that his client’s absence from court was not deliberate. He explained that Mzembi had been granted the temporary release of his passport to seek emergency medical treatment in South Africa after being diagnosed with advanced rectal cancer, for which he underwent surgery.

According to Mandiki, Mzembi later relocated to Zambia in early 2024 after he was unable to continue his treatment in South Africa due to travel documentation issues. Upon arrival in Zambia, his condition had reportedly deteriorated significantly. He was immediately admitted to hospital, placed on oxygen support, and closely monitored for over 10 days. Medical records substantiating his condition were submitted to the court as part of his defence.

Acting Deputy Prosecutor-General Ms. Tendai Shonhayi, representing the State, is also expected to submit written arguments in response.

In addition to the charge of failing to comply with arrest warrants, Mzembi faces allegations of theft of trust property. Prosecutors claim he failed to return his passport by November 19, 2018, and missed a scheduled court appearance on January 18, 2019, to answer charges of criminal abuse of office.

The criminal abuse charges relate to allegations that Mzembi converted for personal use television sets worth US$2 million. The equipment had originally been purchased for fan parks during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa when he was Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry.