Ex-wife of Zimbabwe's vice-president freed after collapse of attempted murder case

The former wife of Zimbabwe's vice-president has been freed from remand after seven years while on trial for his attempted murder.

Marry Mubaiwa was charged in 2019, after her then husband Gen Constantino Chiwenga accused her of trying to impede his medical treatment in South Africa.

Ordering her release, a magistrate said Mubaiwa had suffered mental, physical and financial prejudice during the trial, state-owned daily the Herald said.

The ruling was made after the state asked for the trial to be postponed by a month in order to engage witnesses.

Her lawyer described the ruling as a victory that had come too late, because her client's rights had been violated by the delay in the trial.