Marry Mubaiwa, the former wife of Zimbabwe’s Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, has requested a release from remand, claiming that prosecutors have been delaying her trial on charges of attempted murder against her former husband. Through her lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, Mubaiwa stated that there was no reason for her to remain in custody when the state was not ready to proceed with the trial. Mtetwa argued that the continued postponement of the case was a tactic to prolong her detention.
However, Harare Magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka denied the application, stating that the failure of a witness to appear in court should not result in Mubaiwa’s release from remand. The former model has been in and out of court since 2019 and has been convicted of forgery in relation to her marriage to Chiwenga. She also faces charges of assault and money laundering.
Mubaiwa’s case has been closely watched by the public, as her fallout with her former husband, a former military commander, has made headlines in Zimbabwe. The attempted murder charges stem from an incident in which Chiwenga claims that his ex-wife visited him in a South African hospital while he was receiving treatment and attempted to harm him. The trial has been repeatedly postponed due to various reasons, including the unavailability of witnesses.
Mubaiwa is expected to appear in court again on January 20th. The case will be closely followed by the media as the court decides on the charges pressed against her.
