A witness has claimed that the estranged wife to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Marry Mubaiwa took US$15 000 from US$23 000 meant for their children, that had been left by the former army general, and she ordered a jeweler to make wedding rings during her preparation for the wedding.
Mubaiwa allegedly lied that Chiwenga had consented to at a time he was hospitalised in India sometime in June 2019 before she tried to solemnise their marriage.
Colonel Gesham Muradzi, who was Chiwenga’s aide at the time testified before magistrate Lazini Ncube saying Mubaiwa called him while she was in India with her husband and asked him to pay US$15 000 to a jeweller located at Newlands Shopping Centre in Harare for the rings.
Muradzi said he had not spoken to VP Chiwenga as he was hospitalised.
“In 2019 they were in India when Honourable General CGD Chiwenga was not feeling well. She called me asking how much money I had in the office,” he said.
“I told her that I had US$23 000, which was left in my custody by Vice President Chiwenga. The money was for looking at affairs at his farm and his children during the time he would be away.
“She then asked me to take USD$15 000 and give brother Mike. She indicated that brother Mike from Alpha Jewellery will call me. I later phoned him to collect the money from the office.”
He added: “Whenever he leaves the country, he would give us instructions on how to use the money, but this time around, he had not. In this case, he was not feeling well and could not talk.
“I was then instructed to go and collect parcels from brother Mike. It was now in July and they were now in South Africa,” he said.
Muradzi said he was instructed by Mubaiwa to hand over the parcel that he wrapped in an envelope, to Carrington Kazingizi, their driver, who was travelling to South Africa.
A jeweler, Devon Peter Stewart, who also testified in the matter, said he was not privy to the details of who made the order for the rings but it came through his in-law and workmate only identified as brother Mike.
The jeweler added he never spoke to VP Chiwenga or Mubaiwa during the time he was given the job.
“I was given a job order to make the diamond and white gold. I do not know about the money that was paid as Mike was handling that. I was just given an order to make rings,” he said.
Victoria Falls magistrate Linda Dzvene, who was the then personal assistant to former Chief Magistrate Justice Munamato Mutevedzi, also testified and said she was given some national identification particulars of Chiwenga and those of Mubaiwa by Justice Mutevedzi for her to fill in the marriage licence book and marriage certificate application form.
She confirmed that she was the one who completed the marriage licence book upon instructions from her boss.
“I wrote the marriage license. Sometime in June 2019. Mr Mutevedzi came with IDs of Marry Mubaiwa and VP Chiwenga and I had instructions to record what was on the ID and filed the marriage licence book. What was left was signatures and their witnesses,” she said.
Beatrice Mtetwa represented Mubaiwa.
The matter is expected to continue today with four more State witnesses testifying. The State has since summoned its star witness VP Chiwenga to testify on Wednesday against Mubaiwa at the Harare Magistrates. Nehanda Radio
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