daniel chigunwe
Nyore Madzianike Senior Court Reporter
THE woman who was allegedly assaulted by Marry Mubaiwa for allegedly being a bad influence on the latter’s children, told the court that her former paymaster slapped her and left her bleeding.
Delight Munyoro told the court that Mubaiwa, the estranged wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, insulted and called her names after the assault.
Munyoro said this while testifying against Mubaiwa when her trial opened before magistrate Mr Learnmore Mapiye.
“She approached me asking why I told her son not to play with his other siblings.
“I told her that I never said so but she insisted and started shouting at me.
“I was seated in the car when she then slapped me on the left cheek with the back of her hand.
“I asked why she was attacking me,” she said.
Munyoro told the court that she told Mubaiwa that she was, instead, supposed to be grateful since she was taking care of her children. She said after slapping her, Mubaiwa asked her to disembark from the car for them to fight.
“I told her that she should be grateful as I was looking after her children.”She then asked me to disembark from the car so that we could fight, but I denied.
“She started hurling insults at me, calling me a witch and prostitute.
“She said my days were numbered,” she said.
Mubaiwa told the court that her tooth was later removed. She told the court that she had nothing against Mubaiwa and would not pick up a fight against her.
Mubaiwa, through lawyer Ms Beatrice Mtetwa denied the allegations saying she has been subjected to a number of criminal allegations since she separated with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
“She will state that since her husband sought to end their customary marriage, she has been under siege with all kinds of spurious allegations of a criminal nature being levelled against her by various suborned State institutions.
“She will contend that this prosecution is part and parcel of the abuse of State institutions by her powerful husband to weaken her in her resolve to fully assert her rights in all the proceedings that have been brought against her,” she said.
Mubaiwa told the court that she never assaulted Munyoro, but they exchanged words.
She said her hands were weak after sustaining injuries from the Bulawayo White City Stadium blast.
“She will deny assaulting the complainant with whom she had a verbal exchange. She will point out that her limbs were severely damaged at a bomb blast in Bulawayo and that her arms were weakened by these injuries and that her hands and feet remain sore and swollen and it is inconceivable that she would have used such weakened hands as a weapon,” she said.
Mubaiwa said knowing her condition at the material time, she could not have been involved in a physical assault and also considering the presence of armed soldiers who were at the scene.
“She will also deny that her swollen hand could have struck complainant in an area furthest from her to an extent that she would have caused her a loose tooth and physical injuries,” she said.
Mubaiwa is expected back in court on March 28 for trial continuation.
Mrs Netsai Mushayabasa prosecuted
Online Reporter