A South African court has ruled to seize assets belonging to Marry Mubaiwa the estranged wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga in a landmark cross-border anti-corruption case.
The High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division sitting in Pretoria, granted the forfeiture order on 5 December 2022 effectively handing over Mubaiwa’s luxury property and two high-end vehicles to the South African State.
The court found the assets were linked to alleged proceeds of unlawful activities, including money laundering and illicit financial flows.
Among the confiscated assets are a plush residence in the affluent Pretoria suburb of Sterrewag, and two Land Rover Range Rovers registration numbers HJ40JNGP and HX61SGGP.
The assets had been placed under a preservation order in February 2022.
One of the vehicles has already been auctioned, with the proceeds earmarked for compensation to victims, in accordance with South Africa’s Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
Zimbabwe’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPAZ) hailed the ruling as a “landmark demonstration” of regional cooperation in tackling transnational financial crimes.
“This forfeiture action aligns with our shared obligations under international and regional instruments, including the United Nations Convention Against Corruption and the SADC Protocol Against Corruption,” said the NPAZ in a statement released Monday.
The NPAZ went on to commend South Africa’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) for its “professional and principled handling” of the case, praising the joint efforts as a powerful signal that “illicit assets have no sanctuary within the region.”
Mubaiwa, a former model and businesswoman has faced a string of legal challenges in Zimbabwe, including charges of attempted murder, fraud and money laundering.
She has denied all allegations.
“The decisive action by the Gauteng High Court sends a clear message that crime, particularly of a transnational nature, will not be tolerated,” said the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe
