VP Chiwenga enters court through back door as he testifies against wife

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga testified before Harare Magistrate Lazini Ncube, in a case where he is accusing his estranged wife Marry Mubaiwa of attempting to upgrade their customary marriage by forging his signature without his knowledge.

Entering the court, Chiwenga used the back door, with his security aides in tow, heavily protecting him from the camera. The public has been denied the chance to hear his side of the story.

On Thursday morning, Magistrate Ncube ruled that Chiwenga’s testimony would be held in camera to protect the Vice President’s office.

“The other part needs to show the prejudice that will be suffered if the matter is heard in camera. The defence has a duty to put questions to the complainant, which was still going to happen if it was in an open court,” Magistrate Ncube ruled.

“The state has made it clear that it is the office of the complainant that needs to be protected. In this premises the application is hereby granted and it will therefore be heard in camera.”

The case has many witnesses including, Supreme Court judge Justice George Chiweshe who has since distanced himself from the marriage fraud saga during his testimony before Magistrate Ncube saying he had no reason to think that Mubaiwa was lying when she approached him and that he was not responsible for solemnising their marriage.

He was testifying before Harare magistrate Lazini Ncube last week.

Colonel Gesham Muradzi, who was Chiwenga’s aide at the time also testified on Tuesday saying Mubaiwa called him while she was in India with the former army General and asked him to pay US$15 000 to a jeweler located at Newlands Shopping Centre in Harare for the rings.

The witness further revealed that Mubaiwa took US$15 000 from US$23 000 that had been left by the former Army General at his office when he traveled to India for treatment.

Chiwenga accuses Mubaiwa of lying that he consented to the marriage. She, however, flatly denies all the charges.

She is facing charges including attempted murder of the VP, money laundering, fraud and assault.

Mubaiwa is represented by her lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa. The case is still going on. Nehanda Radio