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Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) is hiding behind subjudice over Vice President (VP) Constantine Chiwenga’s ex-wife, Marry Mubaiwa’s case where she is denied the right to seek medication abroad for lymphoedema.
Chairperson of the (ZGC) Commissioner Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe told Techmag.Tv, that Mubaiwa’s case is still at the courts and the Commission can not comment on the issues, therefore they are waiting for the trial to end. Once courts make a Ruling then can they investigate on the matter.
ZGC Chairperson said this while officially launching the National Inquiry on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Young Girls and Child Marriages, last week Friday in Harare.
Asked what ZGC is doing and saying on the issue as they advocate for the rights relating to gender, Sangarwe said,“On this one it’s very difficult for us to comment on that issue because it’s an issue that’s in the courts so all we have been doing as a Commission is just to monitor, follow the issue and then see what will be the outcome of that but its difficult for us to comment because its an issue that is before the courts.So can’t even do any investigations at the moment.
“It is very difficult, we can only have a take on the matter if we have details of the story because sometimes you read in the papers you know people write different things and you read different things but you really don’t know the truth of the matter so it will be very difficult to even comment on an issue you not even familiar with for us to comment as a Commission we need it to have the facts of the matter and we need to investigate then it will be easier for us to comment,” she said.
The estranged wife of Vice President Chiwenga, has been barred from leaving the country to seek treatment in South Africa for lymphoedema, a condition that has left her lower limbs swollen and infested with boil-like wounds.
Doctors in Zimbabwe are recommending an urgent amputation of her right forearm, warning that her current condition is life-threatening, due to the onset of sepsis. Mubaiwa reportedly fell and suffered multiple fractures to her arm.
Mubaiwa is facing forgery accusation and was due to appear in a Harare court, to determine whether she breached the Marriages Act, which she allegedly misrepresented that her husband Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, consented to solemnise their marriage under the Act, during the time he was hospitalised in South Africa in 2019.
Mubaiwa is also facing allegations of attempted murder of the vice president at the time of his hospitalisation, as well as charges of fraud and money laundering.
The ZGC was taken to task to come out clean in the Marry Chiwenga nee Mubaiwa case and may be justified to avoid making a comment until the matter is finalized in the courts.A case that is “Sub judice” is still under judicial consideration and therefore prohibited from public discussion elsewhere.
Zimbabwean politics has been rampant with such cases with criminals going scot free from facing the music because
“the cases were still sub judice.”
In December 2018, Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy bickered among themselves on whether Hwange Colliery Company Limited shareholder Mr Nicholas Van Hoogstraten should give evidence.
Mostly Zanu-PF legislators led by Mberengwa North MP Cde Tafanana Zhou argued that it was not prudent for Mr Van Hoogstraten to give evidence on Hwange when its case was before the High Court after Government appointed an administrator in terms of the Reconstruction of State Indebted Companies and Insolvency Act.
Mr Van Hoogstraten angered Zanu-PF legislators when he described their conduct as disruptive and said those who did not want to hear his evidence could be excused.
It took about 30 minutes of verbal exchanges until Mr Chokuda came in and indicated that Parliament could not deliberate on a case which was before the courts as it was subjudice.
Wicknell Chivhayo and hid Gwanda solar project was another case Subjudice he got away with from facing Authorities as it was before the courts. The same thing is happening with Marry Mubaiwa as critics believe authorities are running scared from confronting the all powerful former general of the Zimbabwe defence forces now the number two VP Chiwenga on how he is allegedly miss treating his wife and the powers that be are silent on her abuse.
ZGC could not be therefore drawn into commenting on the issue preferring to take a back row until the “Subjudice” issue is dealt with to completion in the courts.
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