Former Tourism and Foreign Affairs minister Walter Mzembi has been acquitted of criminal abuse of office charges, bringing to an end a legal battle that has stretched over several years.
The High Court ruled that prosecutors failed to establish sufficient evidence linking Mzembi to wrongdoing connected to the handling of funds linked to the 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly hosted jointly by Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Mzembi had faced allegations that he improperly authorised the release of public resources during preparations for the international tourism summit, which was held in Victoria Falls and Livingstone. Authorities alleged the decision resulted in financial prejudice to the State.
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However, the court found that the prosecution did not demonstrate criminal intent or prove that the former minister personally benefited from the transactions. The judgment effectively cleared him of accusations that he abused his position while overseeing the tourism portfolio.
The case formed part of a broader wave of investigations targeting former senior government officials following political changes in Zimbabwe after 2017. Mzembi, who previously served as Tourism minister for nearly a decade before briefly heading the Foreign Affairs ministry, had consistently denied any wrongdoing.
His legal troubles have included periods spent outside Zimbabwe and repeated court proceedings since his initial arrest several years ago. The acquittal now removes one of the most prominent corruption cases involving a former cabinet member from that era.
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