“Vice President Chiwenga Set to Testify in Marry Mubaiwa’s Attempted Murder Trial Involving His Ex-Wife”
Vice-President Constantino is anticipated to appear at the Harare Magistrates Court as a key witness in the ongoing trial of his ex-wife, Marry Mubaiwa, who is facing charges of attempted murder. Prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti revealed the State’s intention to summon Chiwenga for testimony on December 7, marking a significant development in the proceedings.
Chiwenga had previously testified privately in another trial involving Mubaiwa, where she faced charges of money laundering, assault, and fraud. In April of the preceding year, Mubaiwa was convicted for attempting an unauthorized upgrade of her marriage to Chiwenga, receiving a fine of ZWL$60,000.
Meanwhile, the trial continued with the testimony of former Health and Child Care deputy minister and Chiwenga’s personal physician, John Mangwiro. Mangwiro recounted an incident where he heard Chiwenga screaming, alleging that Mubaiwa attempted to remove life-saving tubes connected to the ailing former army general. However, he clarified that no actual harm was inflicted on Chiwenga.
In the cross-examination, Mubaiwa’s lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, contested the absence of recorded statements from the hospital or police validating the alleged attempted murder. Mtetwa argued that State witnesses failed to mention the incident, questioning the credibility of Mangwiro’s account. She emphasized the lack of a record regarding the alleged incident and Chiwenga’s request for all hospital records during his time in South Africa.
Mangwiro refuted Mtetwa’s claims, asserting that Mubaiwa attempted to withdraw a crucial chest tube from Chiwenga, a potentially life-threatening action. He contested the assertion that Chiwenga’s statement was recorded while unconscious, stating that the patient was not completely out.
Further, Mangwiro expressed uncertainty about why Dr. Seiling, another medical practitioner, did not include the attempted murder incident in his medical statement. Mtetwa accused State witnesses of fabricating facts and providing inconsistent evidence.
In an intriguing turn, Mtetwa questioned why a forensic examination was not conducted and inquired about the washing of a blood-stained T-shirt. Allegations were raised against Andrew Sibanda, one of Chiwenga’s nurses, for interfering with the treatment, with Mtetwa arguing that he had provided unprescribed medication.
The courtroom also learned that Sibanda was suspected of unauthorized medication provision, as indicated in the co-authored medical report by Mangwiro and Seiling. Mtetwa asserted that Chiwenga’s security personnel failed to adequately protect him and contended that the missing hospital records suggested an afterthought, insinuating Chiwenga’s motive to remove Mubaiwa from his life at the end of 2019. The trial raised numerous contentious points, with both sides presenting contrasting narratives and challenging the integrity of the evidence.;[]
