Marry splashed US$15k on wedding rings without Chiwenga’s knowledge

ESTRANGED wife to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Marry Mubaiwa, ordered a jeweller to make US$15 000 worth of wedding rings during her preparation for the wedding she allegedly lied that the Vice President had consented to at a time he was hospitalised in India sometime in June 2019, a court heard yesterday.

Colonel Gesham Muradzi, who was employed as an administrator in the Vice President’s Office during that time, yesterday told the court that Mubaiwa called him while she was in India with VP Chiwenga and asked him to pay US$15 000 to a jeweller located at Newlands Shopping Centre in Harare for the rings.

He said this while testifying in a matter where Mubaiwa is alleged to have misrepresented that the VP had consented to a wedding with her.

“In 2019 they were in India when Honourable General CGD Chiwenga was not feeling well. She called me asking how much money I had in the office,” he said.

“I told her that I had US$23 000, which was left in my custody by Vice President Chiwenga. The money was for looking at affairs at his farm and his children during the time he would be away.

“She then asked me to take $15 000 and give brother Mike. She indicated that brother Mike from Alpha Jewellery will call me. I later phoned him to collect the money from the office.”

Col Muradzi said he had not spoken to VP Chiwenga as he was hospitalised.

He said after some days, he was then asked to go and collect “a parcel” from brother Mike, which he said was wrapped in an envelope.

“Whenever he leaves the country, he would give us instructions on how to use the money, but this time around, he had not. In this case, he was not feeling well and could not talk. I was then instructed to go and collect parcels from brother Mike. It was now in July and they were now in South Africa,” he said.

Col Muradzi said he was instructed by Mubaiwa to hand over the parcel to Carrington Kazingizi, their driver, who was travelling to South Africa.

A jeweller, who also testified in the matter, told the court that he was given an order to make wedding rings at his company sometime in June 2019.

Mr Devon Peter Stewart, said he was given an order to make diamond and white gold rings for Mubaiwa and VP Chiwenga.

Although he was not privy of details of who made the order for the rings, Mr Stewart said the order came through his in-law and workmate only identified as brother Mike.

“I was given a job order to make the diamond and white gold. I do not know about the money that was paid as Mike was handling that. I was just given an order to make rings,” he said.

Mr Stewart said he never spoke to VP Chiwenga or Mubaiwa during the time he was given the job.

Kazingizi, who was employed as a driver for the Vice President family, confirmed that he took the rings to South Africa where he gave them to Mubaiwa.

He said he was not aware of Mubaiwa’s wedding plans and never got the opportunity to talk to VP Chiwenga when he was seeking medication in South Africa.

“When the parcel got to me at the airport, I opened the envelope which contained two rings and took them to South Africa,” he said.

Victoria Falls magistrate Miss Linda Dzvene, who was the then personal assistant to former Chief Magistrate Justice Munamato Mutevedzi, also testified.

Ms Dzvene said she was given some national identification particulars of VP Chiwenga and those of Mubaiwa by Justice Mutevedzi for her to fill in the marriage licence book and marriage certificate application form.

She confirmed that she was the one who completed the marriage licence book upon instructions from her boss.

“I wrote the marriage licence. Sometime in June 2019. Mr Mutevedzi came with IDs of Marry Mubaiwa and VP Chiwenga and I had instructions to record what was on the ID and filled the marriage licence book. What was left was signatures and their witnesses,” she said.

The matter is expected to continue today with four more State witnesses testifying. Magistrate Mr Lazini Ncube heard the testimonies while Mr Tafara Chirambira and Mrs Netsai Mushayabasa appeared for the State.

Ms Beatrice Mtetwa represented Mubaiwa.

– Herald

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