Xolisani Ncube
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s incarcerated wife, Marry Mubaiwa, will spend the Christmas Holidays behind bars as her bail application will only be heard next Friday.
Her lawyer, Taona Nyamukara said the ex-model who is facing attempted murder, fraud, externalisaton and money laundering charges will spend Christmas at Chikurubi Female Prison.
According to Nyamukara said the magistrates’ ruling and the proceedings from the lower court where she made her initial appearance were not yet ready.
“The matter has been postponed to next week on Friday (December 27). This is due to a fact that a record has not been placed before the High Court as yet from the magistrates’ court,” he said.
Marry, was arrested last Saturday on allegations of money laundering and externalisation as well as fraud amounting to USD$1 million.
On Sunday, more charges were preferred against her as she was accused of attempting to kill the ex-army commander, now vice president of the Republic, with whom they have three kids.
In her bail application, Marry implicated her estranged husband in her dealings saying if any crime was committed, the VP should also be arrested.
In papers filed at the High Court for her bail, Marry said some of the money she allegedly externalized belongs to the Vice President who is a complainant together with the state in the matter and he must face the music.
“On the charge of externalization of money to China, the state has only evidence of one witness that the appellant will challenge at trial.
“She will state that the witness would not have any basis to assume or allege that the money was moved illegally nor is the witness telling the truth.
“The money does not belong to the appellant, and in fact was money belonging to her husband, who should be the person in the dock assuming an offence, was committed,” read part of the papers filed by Mtetwa and Nyambirai Legal Practitioners on Marry’s behalf.
The embattled wife of the ex-army general has approached the High Court seeking admission to bail after the magistrate court denied her on allegations that she would flee the country if granted bail.
The ex-model and businesswoman challenged the state to investigate the source of the funds that she allegedly externalized or laundered.
Marry faces six counts of illegally externalizing funds, five charges of money laundering and another charge of fraud after she allegedly misrepresented that Chiwenga had agreed to wed her through the courts when the VP was ill.
She also faces a charge of attempted murder.
In the papers, Marry also disputed that she wanted to assassinate the husband saying the allegations are laughable and holds no water.
She stated that the allegations are a concoction by the estranged husband working in cahoots with state security agents because they are divorcing.
“Laughable is the last so-called last exhibit. The state says it has a photograph of a blooded shirt that the Vice President was wearing.
“Surely an exhibit of that nature, despite it being merely of circumstantial relevance would have been kept and safeguarded.
“A photograph of a blooded t-shirt remains a photograph. It proves nothing and cannot override primary evidence.
“One is reminded of the saying that surely when a hyena wants to eat its children, it first accuses them of smelling like goats,” Marry stated.
Marry also challenged the jurisdiction of the alleged crime saying if it indeed happened, the South African Police Service should be the one probing the matter.
To be admitted to bail, Marry proposed that she pays $10 000 and was agreeable to any condition set out by the High Court.
