FORMER cabinet minister Walter Mzembi has described Zimbabwe's jailing of Ordinary Level student Nicole Chabata as demonic, moments after she was freed from her 90-day stay in remand prison.

Chabata was arrested on June 16 together with 76 Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters who stand accused of planning protests of and during August's SADC Heads of State Summit.

Public outcry to have her freed to prepare for this year's ZIMSEC Ordinary Level examinations were ignored, with Harare magistrate Collet Ncube denying her bail twice since her arrest.

As a result, Chabata missed half of the second school term.

She was ordered to report monthly at Epworth Police Station and not interfere with witnesses.

Speaking hours after Ndlovu finally granted Chabata US$50 bail, Mzembi described her arrest and detention as a demonic act, which he contrasted to how Rhodesian authorities treated minors.

"Jailing children is demonic - we grew up even in Rhodesia knowing that child offenders were sent on Probation or some form of Community sentence/service," said Mzembi.

South African-based Mzembi fled President Emmerson Mnangagwa's regime at the height of his army-assisted November 2017 coup that toppled his late predecessor Robert Mugabe.

Mzembi and fellow Mugabe allies, Patrick Zhuwawo, Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasukuwere, have previously criticised Mnangagwa's type of governance.