VICE-PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga’s former wife Marry Mubaiwa was yesterday remanded to October 31 by Harare magistrate Learnmore Mapiwe from her hospital bed in a case she is accused of assaulting her children’s maid.
Mubaiwa, who is battling a chronic illness, had her arm amputated last week and is still hospitalised.
Her lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa has on several occasions accused the State and the courts of receiving instructions from Mubaiwa’s powerful former husband to persecute her.
Mtetwa said Mubaiwa was not fit to stand trial in her current state of health.
On several occasions, Mubaiwa was remanded while on a wheelchair after the State refused to remand her outside the courtroom.
The VP’s former wife has also been summoned to court from her hospital bed, prompting Mtetwa to tell the State that the courts were abusing her client over a mere assault case, which is supposed to be heard at provincial courts, not regional courts.
Allegations are that on January 26 this year, the maid, Delight Munyoro, went to Hellenic Primary School in Borrowdale to collect Mubaiwa’s child.
As she was waiting for the child at the gate, it is alleged the family driver, Batsirayi Furukiya, went to collect the child and the complainant remained seated in the vehicle.
The State alleges that when the driver was walking with the child to where the vehicle was parked, Mubaiwa followed behind him and started accusing Munyoro of telling her child not to like her.
It is alleged that Mubaiwa told Munyoro that she was a witch and would not allow her children to be taken care of by her.
Mubaiwa allegedly then struck Munyoro, who was seated in the car, on her left cheek using the back of her left hand.
Several witnesses have since testified in the matter, and her application for discharge was dismissed by the courts.