South Africa is planning to grant diplomatic immunity to Zimbabwe first lady Grace Mugabe, allowing her to return to Harare and avoid prosecution for the alleged assault of a 20-year-old model, a government source said on Friday, August 18.
The source said there was “no way” Mrs. Mugabe, 52, would be arrested for the alleged assault, but that Pretoria expected the granting of diplomatic immunity to be challenged in court.
Her husband, President Robert Mugabe, has meanwhile showed up in South Africa for a regional summit, complicating the diplomatic dilemma now confronting the government.
Mrs. Mugabe has asked for diplomatic immunity in the case, although she has not been charged.
Her present whereabouts were not known to the authorities.
The alleged victim, 20-year-old model Gabriella Engels, has accused Mugabe of barging into a hotel where Engels was meeting with her sons, and whipping her with an electric cord.
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Police Minister Fikile Mbalula told reporters on Wednesday, Grace had been due to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon under a deal struck with authorities, but she failed to turn up.
On Thursday, Mbalula said police had put a “red alert” on South Africa’s borders to stop her from trying to leave.
“We had already put tabs on the borders, in relation to her leaving the country, so there’s no question about that,” he told reporters.
So far she had made no attempt to flee, he added.
(Reuters/NAN)
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