Zimbabwe: Mzembi Freed After 11 Months, Says Many Prisoners May Be Awaiting Justice Unfairly

Former Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi says up to half of Zimbabwe’s prison population could be innocent detainees languishing behind bars while awaiting trial, following his acquittal after spending 11 months in custody on criminal abuse of office charges.

Speaking to journalists after the High Court cleared him of wrongdoing, Mzembi said his time in prison exposed weaknesses in Zimbabwe’s justice delivery system, particularly the prolonged detention of accused persons on remand.

“In prison,…