By Desire Tshuma
HARARE — The High Court has cleared former Cabinet minister Walter Mzembi of criminal abuse of office, ruling that prosecutors fell short of proving the allegations against him.
Justice Benjamin Chikowero delivered the verdict in Harare, saying the State had not met the legal threshold required for a conviction. The case centered on the donation of four public-viewing TV screens to several churches during Mzembi’s tenure as Tourism Minister.
Prosecutors had argued that the handover of the equipment constituted misuse of state resources and a breach of public office. The defense countered that accountability for government assets lies with the Permanent Secretary, not the minister.
After the ruling, Mzembi told reporters he felt relieved and vindicated.
“My freedom is back, and I give glory to the Lord Almighty,” he said outside the courtroom.
The decision brings closure to a protracted legal fight that followed Mzembi from his time in government. With the charges dismissed, the former Foreign Affairs and Tourism Minister leaves court a free man after spending 11 months on remand
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