SAN FRANCISCO, August 15, (THEWILL) – Zimbabwe’s first lady, Grace Mugabe, has handed herself in to South African police on Tuesday and may be charged with assault after reports that she attacked a young woman, Gabriella Engels in Johannesburg.
South Africa’s News24 website said 20-year-old Engels, a model, had been visiting the Mugabes’ sons Robert and Chatunga at a hotel in the upmarket Sandton district over the weekend when she was set upon by Grace.
“When Grace entered, I had no idea who she was. She walked in with an extension cord and just started beating me with it,” she told the news website.
“She flipped and just kept beating me with the plug. Over and over. I had no idea what was going on. I was surprised. I needed to crawl out of the room before I could run away.”
News24 published a picture of what it said was Engels with a large gash in her forehead. “I am a model, with this scar over my face my whole career is ruined,” she said.
Fikile Mbalula, the Police Minister revealed that 52-year-old Grace, a possible successor to her husband, 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe, had cooperated with the police.
South African media said Grace was in the country to have an injured foot examined and it was unclear whether she was traveling on a diplomatic passport but a Zimbabwean intelligence source said Grace had been traveling on an ordinary non-diplomatic passport because she was in South Africa on business.
On whether she could be arrested while having diplomatic immunity, Mbalula said: “All those implications will be taken into consideration.” He then added: “She will be charged” but it was not clear at which court Grace would appear.
“She is not under arrest because she cooperated and handed herself over to the police. But a case has been opened,” he said.
Neither Grace Mugabe, Zimbabwe Information Minister, Christopher Mushohwe, nor Mugabe’s Spokesman George Charamba were available to comment.
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