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Court Correspondent
The trial of Marry Mubaiwa on charges of attempting to kill her then husband, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, in a hospital by unplugging his life support system yesterday continued with the State leading its fourth witness.
In his evidence in chief, Major Godfrey Nyoni told the court that he followed the Vice President to South Africa on June 25 2019, three days after the family and others left and VP Chiwenga had already been admitted at a hospital in South Africa.
He had gone with allowances of the security team and money for medical bills. Major Nyoni testified how he saw Mubaiwa attempting to kill the VP and sneak him out of the ward with her.
After arrival, Major Nyoni said the security team split into two groups that would look after the VP in the ward 24/7.
“On 8 July 2019 at around 8 pm I was on duty and the accused arrived and saw us with the patient in the ward who had machines connected on his body,” he said.
“On that day accused person indicated that she wanted some privacy with her husband and ordered us to leave. It was myself, Sgt Mugari and Dzungudza.”
Major Nyoni said they had to return after hearing the door being opened and saw Mubaiwa trying to leave the ward with VP Chiwenga who was very ill at the time.
“We heard the sound of the door being opened and I saw the accused holding the patient using her left hand and holding the patient’s left hand. It showed that she was pushing the patient since the patient was in front.
“I confronted her but she didn’t tell me where she wanted to go with him. I told her that the VP was bleeding on the right hand and asked us to wash his pyjamas.”
Afterwards, Major Nyoni was assisted by his colleague Sgt Mugari to take the VP back to the bed and asked the hospital staff to come and reconnect the machines and they did so.
Major Nyoni said he also advised Dr Mangwiro and Major General Mashava (principal staff officer for VP) of what had happened.
He said on the following day Sgt Mugari and him first took photos of the blood-stained t-shirt the VP was putting on before washing it. These pictures were tendered as exhibit before the court yesterday.
Major Nyoni also told the court that he did not notice any CCTV cameras in that ward. He said after that incident Mubaiwa would occasionally visit VP .
She said in the presence of Dr Mangwiro and Major Nyoni that they were supposed to leave since the patient was not sick and he told her that this was not possible.
Thereafter she took two to 10 days without coming back to the hospital.
Major Nyoni also said Mubaiwa would shout at Dr Mangwiro alleging that he was giving the VP wrong medicine.
The trial is expected to continue on July 6 with Mubaiwa’s lawyer Ms Beatrice Mtetwa leading cross-examination of Major Nyoni.
Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti appeared for the State.
Online Reporter