Chiwenga ex-wife's trial stalls

THE trial in which Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga's estranged wife Marry Mubaiwa is accused of attempting to kill the former army general failed to start Tuesday after prosecutors failed to bring in witnesses.

Mubaiwa's trial was due to kickoff before Harare regional magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka.

She postponed the hearing to January 20.

This was despite the pleas of Mubaiwa's lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa who indicated that she will not be available until March 13.

" Your worship I anticipate that this case will take up a week and the only free week I have is from the 13th of March, that is, outside High Court cases and other travel arrangements" said Mtetwa while the magistrate walked away without listening to her pleas.

Meanwhile, Mtetwa challenged the State's claim over the issue of witnesses claiming this was a delaying tactic.

"There is no good reason as is required by the law before you will justify the postponement of the matter. The prosecution remains insensitive to my client's plight.

"Instead of a postponement can she be removed on remand as is and when the prosecution is ready will summon her," said the lawyer.

However the magistrate dismissed her application ruling that failure to summon a witness was not a basis to challenge further remand.

Prosecutors accuse Mubaiwa of trying to kill Chiwenga back in 2019 when he was hospitalised and critically ill in Pretoria, South Africa.

She denies the charges.