By Crime and Courts Reporter-Controversial church leaders Walter Magaya of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries and Emmanuel Makandiwa of the United Family International Church (UFIC) could soon face arrest following the dramatic return and subsequent detention of former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi.
Mzembi appeared before Harare Magistrate Don Ndirowei on Saturday, facing charges related to defaulting on three outstanding arrest warrants.
The magistrate remanded him in custody until Monday.
The former minister was arrested Friday night by officers from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), just days after his surprise return from self-imposed exile.
Mzembi, who originally faced corruption charges in January 2018 and was released on bail, became a fugitive in 2019 when a warrant was issued for his arrest after he skipped trial.
He had been accused of converting to personal use television sets worth nearly US$1 million, which were meant for fan parks during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Notably, Mzembi allegedly donated 16 of the TVs, valued at around US$800,000, to prominent churches—including Magaya’s PHD Ministries and Makandiwa’s UFIC—raising questions about the churches’ possible involvement in the alleged misuse of public resources.
Legal analysts suggest that the two high-profile preachers could be called in for questioning, and potentially face arrest, as investigations widen.
Beyond the fan park scandal, Mzembi is also accused of misappropriating US$1.6 million allocated for the 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly, which Zimbabwe co-hosted with Zambia in Victoria Falls.
His return to Zimbabwe this week shocked many.
Mzembi, a prominent figure in the G40 faction of ZANU PF, had fled the country in the aftermath of the 2017 military coup that ousted longtime ruler Robert Mugabe.
He claimed persecution and threats to his life at the time.
Just days ago, ZimEye Exclusively reported that Mzembi was seen being whisked away from the Bronte Hotel under tight security for meetings with high-level government officials. His presence had triggered backlash from opposition figures and war veterans who accused him of “selling out” and “cutting deals in the shadows.”
His reappearance triggered widespread speculation of a political comeback, with critics accusing him of cutting secret deals.
War veterans and opposition figures were particularly vocal, accusing Mzembi of betrayal.
Whether his return was part of a failed political arrangement or a misjudgment that reopened legal trouble, Mzembi’s case could now have wider implications—particularly for the religious institutions that benefited from his alleged misuse of state assets.
This is a developing story.