By Crime and Courts Reporter– Marry Mubaiwa, former wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, now faces severe health struggles after the amputation of her left leg and right hand.
She is confined to a wheelchair, her condition deteriorating while she remains entangled in a relentless legal battle.
Despite her frail health, Chiwenga continues to pursue charges against Mubaiwa for alleged attempted murder and money laundering.
On Monday, Mubaiwa appeared in Harare Magistrate’s Court in a wheelchair, where her attorney, Beatrice Mtetwa, filed for a permanent stay of prosecution due to her deteriorating condition.
Mtetwa argued that continuing with the trial would be unjust, given Mubaiwa’s health challenges.
“My client is extremely sick and unable to give proper instructions due to her condition,” said Mtetwa, emphasizing that Marry is in constant pain, heavily medicated, and often sedated.
The attempted murder charges stem from accusations that Marry tried to unplug Chiwenga’s life support system while he was hospitalized in South Africa.
The application argues that there has been an unreasonable delay in proceedings and that Marry’s declining health should make any further prosecution unjust.
“The applicant’s health has materially deteriorated to an extent that it would not be in the interests of justice to persist with the criminal prosecution,” reads the application.
The State requested a postponement to review the defense’s application.
Presiding magistrate Mrs. Feresi Chakanyuka deferred the ruling to November 22.
During previous hearings, former Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr. John Mangwiro testified that Chiwenga’s health would decline whenever Marry visited him during his hospital stay.
According to Dr. Mangwiro, each time Chiwenga was taken out of the country for treatment, he would initially recover, only to deteriorate again when back home.
He claimed that Marry would insist on taking Chiwenga to a hotel instead of a hospital, reportedly saying he “wanted to rest,” even when advised it was dangerous.
Marry Mubaiwa’s case highlights a bitter reality: a woman now severely disabled, financially struggling, and physically wasting away is still forced to defend herself in court against accusations from one of the nation’s most influential figures.
Despite her dire condition, she continues to seek justice with little to no support from the state that her ex-husband represents.
This prolonged legal battle underscores a stark contrast between the privileged lives of the elite and the unrelenting struggles of those out of favour, even those once connected to power.
Marry’s plight is a chilling reminder of the high cost some pay in Zimbabwe’s political landscape.