Vice President General (Retired) Constantino Chiwenga has publicly welcomed a ruling by the South African High Court to seize properties belonging to his ex-wife, Marry Mubaiwa, describing the move as a triumph of “cross-border justice and accountability.” However, critics have swiftly condemned the Vice President’s response as a calculated act of vengeance dressed up as a pursuit of the rule of law.
The landmark ruling, handed down by the Gauteng High Court on July 28, 2025, declared that Mubaiwa’s property in Pretoria and two luxury Range Rover vehicles were the proceeds of crime. The case, filed under Case No. 6435/22, concluded with the assets being placed under the control of a South African auctioneer. One of the vehicles has already been sold, with the proceeds reportedly set aside for restitution.
In a statement issued through his lawyer, Lewis Uriri of Machingura Legal Practitioners, Chiwenga praised the collaboration between Zimbabwe’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and its South African counterpart. The Vice President claimed the forfeiture demonstrated that “the proceeds of crime should find no sanctuary” and described the decision as a step forward in regional law enforcement cooperation.
Chiwenga Hails South African Court Ruling Against Ex-Wife, Critics Cry Vengeance
“Upon becoming aware of the unlawful activities in question, [Vice President Chiwenga] promptly reported the matter and has since rendered his full cooperation to the National Prosecuting Authority,” Uriri said. “His actions were motivated solely by the national interest and in furtherance of justice and accountability.”
But human rights organisations, legal experts, and social commentators have taken issue with what they see as Chiwenga’s deeply personal involvement in the case. They argue that the Vice President has gone beyond the call of public duty and is instead engaged in a relentless campaign to punish and isolate his former wife—politically, financially, and emotionally.
Marry Mubaiwa, once a high-profile businesswoman and former model who was poised to become Zimbabwe’s First Lady, has endured a rapid and public fall from grace. Her highly publicised relationship with Chiwenga disintegrated in 2019 amid a swirl of scandal and criminal accusations, including attempted murder, money laundering, and fraud. Since then, she has been stripped of custody of her children, blocked from traveling abroad for critical medical treatment, and now stands to lose substantial personal property.
Despite her visibly declining health and persistent appeals to the courts, Mubaiwa has been denied access to her children for more than four years. Advocacy groups argue that the justice system has failed her by refusing to treat her with the same fairness and compassion afforded to others facing similar allegations.
Source- ZimEye
