Harare – Former Tourism and Hospitality Minister Walter Mzembi’s appeal for bail pending trial was dismissed by the High Court.
The court ruled that the politician failed to prove he could be trusted to appear in court to stand trial having jumped bail already and been absent for seven years from Zimbabwe.
Mzembi, who has been in custody since June after a seven-year absence from Zimbabwe, faces allegations of theft of trust property involving government funds, vehicles, and public viewing television screens.
Justice Regis Dembure upheld the magistrate courts’ earlier decision to deny bail, citing Mzembi’s extended absence and lack of accountability.
Mzembi’s legal battles stem from two allegations.
In the first case, he is accused of unlawfully disposing of 16 LED television screens worth $800 000 that were procured for public viewing during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The second set of allegations involves the misuse of funds raised for the 20th United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly, which Zimbabwe co-hosted with Zambia in 2013.
Prosecutors claim Mzembi and others solicited sponsorship from corporate entities, including Mbada Diamonds, and deposited the funds into an unregistered trust account.
The State says three vehicles purchased with the funds were unlawfully converted for personal use. – The Herald/Twenty Four Seven
