HARARE – Former Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi will remain behind bars after the High Court on Monday dismissed his bail application, ruling that he remains a significant flight risk given his previous absconding and the seriousness of the allegations he faces.
Justice Dembure found that Mzembi had failed to provide sufficient guarantees that he would not evade trial if released. The judge noted that the former minister had once fled the jurisdiction while facing charges in the past, a factor the court described as “central and compelling” in assessing the risk of releasing him on bail.
Mzembi, who has now clocked 73 days in remand prison, is awaiting trial on charges that authorities have not yet publicly disclosed. Prosecutors argued that revealing the full details at this stage could jeopardise ongoing investigations, but insisted the nature of the case involves substantial prejudice to the State.
The court agreed, stating that the combination of Mzembi’s prior conduct, his international connections, and the gravity of the pending allegations created “a real and unacceptable likelihood” that he could abscond if granted temporary freedom.
Defence lawyers, who argued that Mzembi’s continued detention amounted to punitive pre-trial incarceration, said their client would appeal the ruling.
Mzembi, once regarded as one of the more technocratic ministers in the late Robert Mugabe administration, has been battling a series of legal challenges since the 2017 political transition. His supporters claim he is a victim of political retribution, a claim the State has consistently dismissed.
For now, the former minister remains in custody as preparations for his trial continue.
