By Court Correspondent
HARARE — Former tourism and foreign minister Walter Mzembi faces further delays in his protracted corruption trial after the Harare High Court postponed proceedings to allow his legal team time to prepare.
The trial, originally scheduled to begin on Tuesday, was adjourned after Mzembi’s lawyers reported they had only received the consolidated case docket on the same day, leaving them insufficient time to review the documents.
High Court Judge Benjamin Chikowero, who is presiding over the matter, rescheduled hearings for January 28 and 30, and February 3.
Mzembi, who is reportedly unwell while in custody, faces charges of theft of trust property and criminal abuse of office related to his tenure as tourism minister.
He was denied bail and remanded in custody in July last year after returning to Zimbabwe from South Africa and Zambia, where he had lived for nearly six years.
Outstanding warrants had been issued after he failed to surrender his passport on 19 November 2018, which had been temporarily released to allow medical treatment abroad.
Mzembi also missed a court appearance on 18 January 2019, citing prolonged treatment for colon cancer.
A magistrate rejected the explanation and revoked his bail.
Prosecutors allege that Mzembi unlawfully converted television sets valued at approximately US$2 million, intended for public fan parks during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, for personal use.
The state claims the televisions were donated to United Family International Church, led by Emmanuel Makandiwa, in Harare.
Mzembi has denied wrongdoing, with his lawyers maintaining that the donation was approved by cabinet and did not constitute criminal conduct.
