Who is Mary Chiwenga? Wife of Zimbabwe’s VP “tried to murder him”

The wife of Zimbabwe’s Vice President Constantino Chiwenga appeared in court on Monday. But what seemed to be a trumped-up case of money laundering developed into something even more sinister. Mary Chiwenga has been accused of trying to kill her husband, and she’s now facing an attempted murder charge.

Sights from Harare Magistrate Court where VP Chiwenga’s wife Mary Mubaiwa is appearing in court facing charges of fraud, money laundering and misrepresentation pic.twitter.com/8xnDI5GFnx

— 263Chat 🇿🇼 (@263Chat) December 16, 2019

The crimes of Mary Chiwenga – according to the Zimbabwean Courts:

• She is facing allegations of siphoning close to $1 million out of the country.
• Mary Chiwenga is accused of illegally sending more than $281 000 to a South African bank account.
• She’s also being charged for “externalising money” – by paying R3 million (R230 000) into SA for a new Range Rover.
• She’s also alleged to have sent a driver and an aide to China last year with $114 000 in cash.
• In July 2019, Chiwenga is said to have tried to kill her spouse by “tampering with his medical equipment”.

Who is Mary Chiwenga, and why is she facing an attempted murder charge?

The vice president of Zimbabwe was airlifted to a specialist hospital in Mzansi as part of a medical emergency back in June. Constantino Chiwenga received treatment in Cape Town and Gauteng. Zimbabwean officials wanted to keep his visit under wraps. Zimbabwe Live confirmed he has was taken to Groote Schuur in need of immediate attention, for a suspected heart issue.

He stayed in the country for the next month or so. However, court papers explain that Mary Chiwenga was very reluctant for her husband to receive specialist care. She is accused of trying to stop him from going to hospital, and had to be “physically restrained” by guards who demanded he sought medical help.

However, the Vice President’s wife still came to visit him in the weeks that followed. On the night of 8 July, it is alleged Mrs Chiwenga tried to kill her husband. The court’s account is shocking, to say the least:

“The accused [Mary Chiwenga] came to hospital with the intent to cause serious harm to the complainant. She ordered security personnel to excuse her, saying that she wanted privacy with her husband [Constantino Chiwenga]. The accused and the complainant were left alone together.”

“The accused removed the Intra Venous Giving Set as well as the Centra Venous Cafeter, causing the complainant to bleed profusely. Mary Chiwenga was then forced off the bed and intercepted by security forces. Hospital staff responded to the incident, and resucitated the condition of the patient.”

Are the charges valid?

Of course, the legitimacy of these claims have been challenged. Given that Zimbabwe’s officials are accused of widespread corruption themselves, going after someone for spending just $1 million illicitly seems like a stitch-up to some critics. Theorists also point to the fact that the Chiwengas were seeking a divorce, as a factor for why these charges may not be fully legitimate.

Mary has since been taken into police custody, where she will remain until February 2020. He trial is set to get underway in the new year.

Life can be unfair. Mary Chiwenga in blue pic.twitter.com/4XPqNgW1ny

— Anesu Muyambi (@HeavyLord06) December 16, 2019