Reports from Zimbabwe said the estranged wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has been arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission (ZACC). Mary Chiwenga, a former beauty queen and model was arrested on Saturday for alleged fraud, misrepresentation and money laundering.
She was detained overnight at Rhodesville Police Station in Harare.
Her arrest was first reported by journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, who said the woman was being held for charges relating to the buying of a house in South Africa.
John Makamure, the ZACC spokesperson confirmed the arrest, the Zimbabwe Standard newspaper reported.
“It’s true that Mary Chiwenga has been picked by ZACC and is assisting with investigations into allegations of money laundering and externalisation levelled against her,” he said.
“That is only what I can tell you.”
Zacc chairperson Loice Matanda Moyo and other ZACC commissioners were not reachable by the newspaper.
Mary’s arrest was the ex-model’s lowest point since VP Chiwenga returned from medical treatment in China after a mysterious illness that was believed to be poisoning.
Chiwenga had since sued for divorce, on suspicion that Mary could have poisoned him. He had also ejected her from his house.
Mary’s former husband, the football star, Shingi Kawondera, has also sued her for $700 000 over their divorce.
Kawondera claims that the VP’s wife forged his signature on the divorce consent papers and the alleged fraud cost him a business that they were jointly running.
Mary has indicated that she will defend the lawsuit, the Standard reported.
