'Chiwenga threatens Marry's doctors'

VICE-PRESIDENT and Health minister Constantino Chiwenga is reportedly threatening medical doctors against releasing an affidavit for his estranged wife Marry Mubaiwa, who is seeking postponement of her cases at the courts due to poor health.

Chiwenga, in his capacity as Health minister, superintends over medical activities in the country.

Marry has also seen several applications for the release of her passport which would enable her to seek medical attention outside the country, being dismissed.

The court heard yesterday that several doctors approached by Marry had refused to give her a medical report, saying they were afraid of her powerful husband who is their boss.

Marry yesterday appeared in court with a drip fixed on a walker she uses for mobility. She is being accused of attempting to kill Chiwenga. She is also facing money-laundering, fraud and assault charges and is out on bail.

The former model is suffering from lymphoedema, an ailment which causes swelling of hands and legs.

Her lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, told the court that she could not stand trial and requested the court to postpone the matter for two months as the doctor who was attending to her had recommended a lengthy bed rest.

But the State, led by prosecutor Netsai Mushayabasa, opposed the application, saying Mtetwa did not submit any documents to prove her client's illness.

Mtetwa in turn told the court that Marry could not get the medical report since all doctors who treated her were refusing to avail it fearing victimisation by Chiwenga.

She opted to have her client remove the bandages to prove to the court that, indeed, her client was suffering from an ailment

"We ask you to take a judiciary notice that the accused person's husband is the Vice-President and the Minister of Health and all the doctors are too frightened to write that medical affidavit," Mtetwa told the court.

"We are quite happy that we can remove her bandages so that you can see the wounds. The State cannot make sensitive comments on the accused person who is not well. The insinuation that she is well can be cured by the removal of her bandages from arm and her thigh to prove she is in pain and was operated on the thigh and left hand," she argued.

"The doctors fear her powerful husband. The accused person has absolutely nothing to gain for feigning illness. She is anxious to have this matter concluded. My learned friend was involved in the matter and they have been communicating with the doctor."

Mtetwa said Marry could not stand trial as the drugs she was taking would distract her concentration in court.

However, magistrate Noel Mupeiwa ordered doctors treating Marry to avail a medical affidavit for her.

The matter was postponed to October 6, when the court will assess her condition.

Marry has on several occasions been brought to court while on medical support.

In December last year, she was brought to court in an ambulance for a routine remand appearance and was carried into the courtroom in a stretcher, after she had been issued with a warrant of arrest.

In the same month, High Court judge Justice Benjamin Chikowero ordered her to appear before him in person so that he assesses her wounds before passing his judgment on whether she should be given her passport to enable her to travel to South Africa.

Chiwenga and Marry are also embroiled in a highly acrimonious divorce process at the High Court where they have washed dirty their linen in public.

They are also brawling over custody of their three minor children.

Chiwenga currently has custody of the children and has barred Marry from accessing them. She has had to post numerous lamentations on Twitter, crying for his clemency so she could access them, albeit without luck.

She has not seen them for over two years as Chiwenga maintains a formidable blockade.

Chiwenga has accused Marry of being an unbalanced drug addict and a substance abuser unsuitable to take custody of the children, while Marry exposed him as a violent and vengeful power-hungry man with excessive political ambitions.