HARARE – The exiled G40 kingpins are said to be scheming to exploit the case of the embattled Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s estranged wife, Marry Mubaiwa, by launching a sustained smear campaign against the Presidium, according to the State media.
Mubaiwa is in remand prison until December 30 on charges of attempted murder, fraud, and currency externalisation.
In a report in the State media, sources close to the Mubaiwa family said one of the G40 leaders based in South Africa mobilised money for legal fees.
The report says a G40 leader is alleged to have instructed Mubaiwa to defame and politically smear President Mnangagwa and VP Chiwenga.
Mubaiwa is facing charges of attempting to murder VP Chiwenga, illegally externalising US$1 033 000, laundering US$990 000 and fraudulently seeking to upgrade her customary union to a civil marriage without her husband’s consent.
She is facing six counts of exporting foreign currency in breach of the Exchange Control Act and five counts of concealing transactions involving proceeds of crime in violation of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act.
Mubaiwa allegedly exported the money to South Africa and China after misrepresenting that her companies intended to buy tents, chairs and prepaid metres for use in Zimbabwe but she ended up buying houses and top-of-the-range vehicles.
“The G40 leader told Marry to falsely allege that the US$1 million she allegedly laundered was in VP Chiwenga’s house. She has also been coached to allege that the money she is alleged to have stolen was just small change,” said the source.
In a bid to elicit sympathy from women, the defence team would also allege that the VP bought houses for alleged girlfriends.
According to the source, the concoction was meant to justify Mubaiwa’s purchase of properties outside the country using stolen money.
The source also revealed that there had been regular telephone contact between the G40 leader and Mubaiwa, an interaction that raised suspicion that the latter could have been spying on her husband on behalf of the G40 over the years. Mubaiwa’s legal representative, Mr Taona Nyamakura of Mtetwa and Nyambirai Legal Practitioners denied the allegations.
‘‘I’m not aware of those allegations. As lawyers, we are doing our job professionally in a manner that protects the interest of our client and the administration of justice,’’ he said.
The G40 cabal has been relentlessly conniving to undermine and destabilise President Mnangagwa’s Government. They have reportedly recruited a brigade of journalists who have formed an online group called “Vasvibisi.”
The recruited journalists were reportedly tasked by G40 conspirators to generate fake news that would politically smear President Mnangagwa and his Vice Presidents.
