The court has admitted photographic evidence of a blood-stained t-shirt, purportedly worn by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga on the day he narrowly escaped an alleged murder attempt by his estranged wife, Mary Mubaiwa.
The state, led by Lancelot Mutsokoti, presented the pictures as exhibits during the trial in which Mubaiwa is facing charges of attempted murder against VP Chiwenga.
Major Godfrey Nyoni, a military officer from the presidential guard, testified as a witness for the prosecution, recounting the events of the day of the alleged murder attempt.
“On 22 June 2019, VP fell seriously ill and his Excellency Mnangagwa organized that the patient be ferried to SA to receive medical attention. On that particular day l didn’t go. I escorted them to the airport only.
“On 25 June 2019, was called by Colonel Muradzi to come to the office and arrived at the office around 3:15 and was supposed to follow in SA with allowances of security team and medical bills,” he told the court.
Nyoni also testified that upon his arrival in South Africa, he witnessed Chiwenga hooked up to machines and receiving oxygen, clearly in pain. Mubaiwa, Muringi, Dr. Magwiro, and other security officers were present with Chiwenga on that day.
“On 26 June at around 9am l went to Mubaiwa’s room to formalize my visit to her and l saw Kazingizi he was her driver and she took everything including the allowances l had brought. I left there going to hospital and arrived thee at 10am and saw Major Muringi who then advised me of how they were handling the security.
“Occasionally Mubaiwa would visit the patient and would shout at Dr Mangwiro alleging that he was giving the patient wrong medicine,” said Nyoni.
On 8 July 2019 at around 8pm. l was on duty and accused arrived and saw us with the patient in the ward. The patient had machines connected to him. On that day Mubaiwa indicated that she wanted some privacy with her husband an ordered us to leave,” he added.
The court also learned that there was a doctor named Dr. Bruce, unknown to the security team, who would come to examine the patient. Nyoni instructed Mashava to be more vigilant and deny access to Dr. Bruce, as they had no information about him.
“Afterward, we were informed that the patient was scheduled to be airlifted to China for further treatment on July 22. At the airport, there were significant delays, and they wanted to include individuals without visas on the trip. She was not supposed to go,” the court heard.
During cross-examination, Beatrice Mtetwa, representing Mubaiwa, asked Nyoni if they had reported the alleged murder attempt to the hospital staff or the South African police to initiate a criminal case.
Nyoni replied that he was unaware.
“If there were any CCTVs they belonged to the hospital we only care about the ones we install. We don’t carry our security gadgets to a foreign hospital we were not attending a rally or something,” Nyoni responded to cross examination.
The matter was postpone the matter to July 6 for continuation of trial.
Magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka is presiding over the matter.
