Zimbabwe's first lady charged with assault

Wednesday 23rd August 2017 07:04 EDT
 
 

JOHANNESBURG: Grace Mugabe, First Lady of Zimbabwe, has handed herself in to South African police. She will be charged with assault after reports that she attacked a young woman in Johannesburg. Police Minister Fikile Mbalula told reporters that 52 year old Grace had cooperated with the police.

Media reports said the possible successor to her 93 year old husband, President Robert Mugabe, was in the country to have an injured foot examined. “All those implications will be taken into consideration. She will be charged. She is not under arrest because she cooperated and handed herself over to the police. But a case has been opened,” Mbalula said. It remains unclear whether she was travelling on a diplomatic passport.

The 20 year old model Gabriella Engels had been visiting the Mugabe's sons Robert and Chatunga at a hotel in upmarket Sandton district, when she bumped into 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 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,” Engels said.

Her photo showing a large gash on her forehead was published by a South African media agency. “I am a model, with this scar over my face, my whole career is ruined,” she said. It was unclear what triggered the incident. President Mugabe spoke at a public event marking Defence Forces Day in Harare, but did not mention Grace. Grace was in the news in late July when she challenged her president husband to name his preferred successor. The issue of who will succeed Mugabe has deeply divided Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party. One faction supports Grace and the other Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is recovering in a South African hospital after he fell ill and was airlifted from Zimbabwe.


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