Zimbabwe court frees ex-wife of vice-president after murder case collapses

A Zimbabwean court has freed Marry Mubaiwa after prosecutors abandoned their attempted murder case against the former wife of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga. Mubaiwa had spent approximately seven years on remand since her arrest in 2019 over allegations she attempted to kill Chiwenga.

The collapse of the case marks the end of a protracted legal battle that has kept Mubaiwa in custody throughout the proceedings. Her detention had drawn scrutiny from international human rights observers concerned about the length of time she spent awaiting trial without conviction.

The circumstances surrounding the original charges against Mubaiwa had been disputed since her arrest. Her release follows a pattern of legal challenges that have questioned the viability of the state's case against her.

Mubaiwa's case attracted attention as part of broader concerns about Zimbabwe's judicial system and the treatment of those accused in high-profile cases involving government figures. Her release represents a significant development in a case that has remained in the public eye since Chiwenga's rise to prominence in the country's leadership.