Zimbabwe’s First Lady Granted Immunity after Assault Allegation

Following threat of diplomatic immunity between Zimbabwe and South Africa, over alleged assault by Zimbabwe’s first lady, Grace Mugabe’s assault of South African model, immunity has prevailed over the Mugabe.

Agency report said that Mugabe landed in Harare with her husband, 93-year-old president Robert Mugabe, on an Air Zimbabwe plane Sunday, as the South African government has restricted all official comment to the police ministry.

Zimbabwe’s First Lady Grace Mugabe on Sunday returned home from South Africa where she was accused of assaulting a model, state media reported.

South Africa’s international relations minister granted the first lady diplomatic immunity Sunday, negating a “red alert” that had been issued at the South African border to prevent her from leaving the country.

“I hereby recognise the immunities and privileges of the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Grace Mugabe,” Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said in a notice published in South Africa’s Government Gazette on Sunday.

Last Sunday, Gabriella Engels, the woman who claims that Grace Mugabe attacked her, posted details of her ordeal on Twitter, along with graphic photos of a deep cut on her forehead from the extension cord she says Mugabe used to beat her.

Grace Mugabe returned to Zimbabwe early on Sunday, state media reported, after a 20-year-old model accused the first lady of assaulting her in an upmarket Johannesburg hotel room.

South Africa granted Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity, a security source told Reuters on Friday.

Harare has made no official comment on the allegations and requests for comment from Zimbabwean government officials have gone unanswered.