Ex-wife of Zimbabwe's vice-president freed after collapse of attempted murder case

The former wife of Zimbabwe's vice-president has been freed from remand after seven years while on trial for his attempted murder.

Marry Mubaiwa was charged in 2019, after her then husband Gen Constantino Chiwenga accused her of trying to impede his medical treatment in South Africa.

Ordering her release, a magistrate said Mubaiwa had suffered mental, physical and financial prejudice during the trial, state-owned daily the Herald said.

The ruling was made after the state asked for the trial to be postponed by a month in order to engage witnesses.

Her lawyer described the ruling as a victory that had come too late, because her client's rights had been violated by the delay in the trial.

Speaking outside court in the capital Harare on Tuesday, the lawyer added that if the state moved for a new trial, they would deal with it when it happened.

Mubaiwa was accused of attempting to kill Chiwenga, while he was in hospital in Pretoria. The vice-president then went to China for four months of treatment.

Mubaiwa was remanded in custody and denied bail.

According to the New Zimbabwe news website, Mubaiwa celebrated her release outside court, and said justice had been achieved and that she was proud of her lawyer.

In 2017, Chiwenga played a key role in overthrowing then President Robert Mugabe.