Zimbabwe’s former president Robert Mugabe, who was ousted from power last month, visited a Singapore hospital on Friday during a trip to the city-state for a medical check-up.

It was the first time he has been seen in public since he was forced to resign after a military takeover brought a sudden end to his authoritarian 37-year reign.

The 93-year-old was seen leaving a lift in Gleneagles Hospital in downtown Singapore around midday (04:00 GMT), wearing a white shirt and black trousers, and accompanied by eight people, AFP journalists said.

He walked quickly out of the building before he and his party were driven off in two cars.

Two hospital employees, speaking anonymously as they were not authorised to talk to the media, confirmed to AFP that Mugabe had visited. A spokesperson for Gleneagles declined to comment, citing patient confidentiality.

His ex-spokesperson, George Charamba, said on Thursday that Mugabe was visiting Singapore for a medical check-up as “part of his package as a retired president to travel overseas”, adding the new government was keen to show him respect.