The South African government has seized a multi-million-dollar upmarket house and two Range Rovers said to be owned by Mary Mubaiwa, the estranged wife of Zimbabwe’s Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga.
According to an online publication, Times Live, the South Africa authorities seized the property following a court ruling by Pretoria High Court judge Aubrey Ledwaba, who gave the government authority to seize the house and vehicles until the finalization of a high profile corruption case being laid against Mubaiwa in Zimbabwe. Times Live reports that the house is worth R14 million.
Indications are that the property will be sold and proceeds forfeited to the Zimbabwean government as per the court ruling made last week.
Mubaiwa is facing charges of attempted murder, fraud, money laundering and externalization of foreign currency.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission told the online publication that South African authorities were granted a preservation order by Ledwaba to seize, pending forfeiture, an upmarket house and two Range Rovers belonging to Mubaiwa.
Times Live quoted ZACC as saying, “The order was granted after an application for mutual legal assistance made by ZACC through the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to South African authorities. ZACC is committed to ensuring that any proceeds of corruption stashed anywhere in the world are recovered as part of its unrelenting fight against corruption.”
Mubaiwa was unreachable for comment last night as she was not responding to calls on her mobile phone. Mubaiwa has appeared in Zimbabwean courts several times where she fainted due to ill-health.
She is demanding custody of her three children from the retired army general, who masterminded a defacto military coup in 2017 resulting in the toppling of then president Robert Mugabe.