Zimbabwe vice president's wife charged with his attempted murder
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga greet supporters of his ZANU PF party at a rally in Murombedzi, Zimbabwe
ThewifeofZimbabweanVicePresident Constantino Chiwenga waschargedwith trying to kill her husband when she appeared in court on Monday.
Prosecutors say Marry Mubaiwa tried to unplug Chiwenga's life support tubes in a South African hospital in June.
She was initially arrested on Saturday by theZimbabweAnti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on charges of fraud, money laundering and breaching exchange control rules, and is accused of illegally transferring $900,000 to South Africa.
She denies all the accusations against her and her lawyer said she would seek bail atZimbabwe's High Court. She was refused bail for the initial charges after prosecutors argued she would flee the country or interfere with witnesses.
The charges follow media reports that Mubaiwa and Chiwenga, who returned toZimbabwelast month after four months in a Chinese hospital where he was later treated for a blocked oesophagus, were set to divorce.
Opposition politicians took to social media to accuse Chiwenga of usinghisposition to influence a divorce settlement. Chiwenga could not be reached for comment.
Critics of ZACC say it is conflicted because its head judge, Loice Matanda-Moyo, is married to Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo, a top ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and of Chiwenga.
The ZACC denies thisand said it will prosecute all corruption cases without fear or favour.
Prosecutors also told the court that Mubaiwa was being investigated for misusing U.S. dollar allowances meant for her husband's security details.