HARARE – Zimbabwe has asked Interpol to issue an international arrest warrant for the former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi after he failed to attend court for his corruption trial, a court heard.
Prosecutor Brian Vito said Mzembi, who left the country on account of seeking medical attention in South Africa, appeared to have made a deliberate decision to avoid the court.
“We had not taken this stance as we believed that he would return as had been highlighted by the defence which said he was mainly receiving treatment, but it does not seem like that is the case,” Vito told Harare magistrate Hoseah Mujaya, as the former minister’s trial remained on ice.
Aaron Mushoriwa, 62, and Margaret Sangarwe, 59, who are accused alongside Mzembi, have asked to be removed from remand or to be tried separately after expressing frustration with the year-long wait to be tried.
Vito said the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) had written to Interpol, the international police agency, which can issue a red alert against Mzembi’s name, compelling signature countries to arrest him if found in their jurisdiction and send return him to Zimbabwe.
Mzembi’s lawyer, Job Sikhala, told court in November last year when Mzembi failed to appear in court that the former minister was critically ill in South Africa suffering from cancer of the colon.
But doubt was cast on the lawyers claims when, following claims that he had died, Mzembi was seen on a phone video sitting across a table pouring scorn on the rumours.
“Whatever arrangements we have been making, we have now formalised them through Interpol as ZACC has since made a request to Interpol to have the accused person placed on red alert,” Vito told court.
Mzembi, along with over a dozen senior officials in former President Robert Mugabe’s government, were targeted for arrest and accused of corruption after the veteran leader was toppled in a November 2017 military coup.
The group claims political persecution.
Mzembi is accused of stealing US$1,6 million among other charges when he was still the Tourism and Hospitality Minister.
He is charged together with Mushoriwa, a former consultant for the Tourism and Hospitality ministry and the former permanent secretary Sangarwe.
Prosecutors allege when he stole $1,6 million in donations from Mbada Diamonds and Zimplats, Mzembi and his accomplices bought top-of-the-range vehicles for themselves.
The ex-minister is facing theft of trust property as well as fraud charges.
Mzembi is also facing separate charges of criminal abuse of office relating to a donation of television sets to three churches – the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD); United Family International (UFI) and the Zimbabwe Christian Church (ZCC).
It is his defence that he did this in line with a government policy of religious tourism. The televisions were bought by the ministry for outside showing of the 2010 World Cup.
Mzembi was Foreign Minister when a military coup ousted Mugabe, collapsing his government and scattering his supporters.
