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Nyore Madzianike Senior Court Reporter
The State has managed to identify and position properties, including cars bought and owned by the estranged wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Marry Mubaiwa, in South Africa, the High Court heard.

This emerged today during Mubaiwa’s bail appeal in the matter in which she is facing foreign currency externalisation, money laundering and fraud charges.

The bail application was heard before Justice Pisirayi Kwenda.

Challenging a Harare magistrate Chrispen Mberewere’s decision to deny her bail, Mubaiwa through her lawyer Silvester Hashiti, said the State will have no problems in extraditing her from South Africa in the event that she crosses the border into South Africa, since her properties were already known and identified.

She also argued that she was not a flight risk, who could be detected by anyone in the event that she decides to leave the court’s jurisdiction. Mubaiwa in her bail appeal argued that the State has no reason to deny her liberty, as the offences it alleges were committed through her companies, where she is only a director.

She said the State was supposed to charge the companies and not her. Mubaiwa also denied ever fraudulently attempting to register her marriage with VP Chiwenga, saying how could she have prejudiced him when they were already in marriage. The State led by Mrs Sharon Fero and Mr Lovett Masuku argues that Mubaiwa was facing serious charges that could earn her at least 25 years in jail or be ordered to repay twice the amount she allegedly prejudiced the State.

Justice Kwenda reserved judgment in her bail appeal.

In her bail application on attempted murder charges, Mubaiwa said the allegations raised against her lack credibility and circumstances surrounding the charges were doubtful. She said the State only has circumstantial evidence as it alleges that the offence was committed when there was no one to witness the incident. Mubaiwa also said with the type of wounds and swells she has, it will be difficult for her to abscond.

She then handed the court pictures showing her wounds. The State led by Mr Lovett Masuka opposed granting her bail arguing that with the information the State has, she was likely to abscond. Although he could not tell when Mubaiwa will be tried, he said the State have overwhelming against her and extra-territorial investigations were still underway.

However, football administrator and businesman Keni Mubaiwa has volunteered to deposit title deeds to his properties at No.102 Seke Road as part of security and part of bail condition. Justice Kwenda also reserved judgment in her bail application.