Police investigators are set to travel to South Africa and probe into claims made by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga that his estranged wife Marry attempted to murder him while on his sick bed in the neighbouring last year.

Marry was arrested in December 2019 on charges of attempting to murder the VP while he was receiving treatment at a private hospital in South Africa. She is also facing charges of money laundering, externalisation and fraud and is out on bail.

At the High Court for her bail variation hearing Thursday, Justice Pisirai Kwenda heard from Prosecutor Sharon Fero that investigators were set to travel to South Africa soon.

“Evidence shows that the police are yet to travel to South Africa but they have been given authority to travel. However, I am not in position to give clearer information,” Fero said.

Marry’s lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa said the court should not treat the State with ‘kid gloves’ for failing to do its work properly by failing to conclude investigations.

“The State has submitted that the police are yet to conduct investigations yet they should investigate to arrest. It (State) is conducting its case back to front and the accused should not be punished for that,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mtetwa insisted that Marry should be allowed to move back into the couple’s upmarket Borrowdale Brooke matrimonial home until an urgent appeal filed by Chiwenga last week has been finalised.

Marry is staying with her parents in Glen Lorne after her husband locked her out of the house when she was released from remand prison early this month.

But appearing for the State, Fero argued it was improper for Marry to stay under one roof with Chiwenga since she is accused of attempting to kill him.

“In the event that the case before the Supreme Court is resolved, it does not change the charges she is facing and it is advisable in the interest of justice that she resides at her mother’s place. The criminal aspect of it requires that parties be separated until the criminal case is finalised,” said Fero.

However, Mtetwa argued that it was Chiwenga not Marry who should look for alternative accommodation.

“The criminal law works on the presumption of innocence. So, until she is proven guilty, prosecution has no right to deny her access to her home. It is unacceptable for her to squat at her mother’s place,” Mtetwa said.

Kwenda postponed the case to Tuesday next week to allow the State to call the investigating officer to give evidence on the progress of police investigations.

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