Harare magistrate, Feresi Chakanyuka blocked the media from following proceedings in a case Marry Mubaiwa is accused of attempting to kill Vice President Constantino Chiwenga when he was hospitalised in South Africa.

Journalists been following the case from Mubaiwa’s initial court appearance but were Thursday barred after Chiwenga came to testify as the main witness.

He is expected to be the last witness before the State closes its case.

Prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti applied for the matter to be heard in camera, submitting that Chiwenga’s rights should be protected.

“It is common cause that the next witness is one of the sitting VPs of Zimbabwe. This application is made to protect the dignity and security of that office,” said the prosecutor.

He added, “It is desirable that this witness be allowed to testify in camera. There exist security risks to this witness if he is compelled to testify in open court. However, if he is allowed to testify in camera, his security detail will have the advantage to secure him during his testimony and after. It’s in the interest of justice that he be allowed to testify in camera.”

Beatrice Mtetwa representing Mubaiwa argued that the matter should be heard in an open court because it is a matter of public interest and was being heard in an open court all along.

“The prosecution is inviting you to introduce into our criminal justice system an animal farm type of doctrine where some animals are more equal than others.

“This case has been about the privacy of the complainant and accused from the onset and the State allowed that privacy to be violated by having the matter be in open court.

Mtetwa said if Mutsokoti was sincere that it was about the privacy of both parties, he would’ve had the matter in camera from the beginning.

“Section 3 of the Constitution deals with the founding values and principles of the Constitution.