President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe and his wife, Grace at a rally, North East of Mutoko near to Harare. File picture: Gallo Images/City Press/Themba Maseko
An assault charge was laid against Zimbabwean First Lady Grace Mugabe yesterday in Sandton after she allegedly attacked a young woman with an electrical extension cord.
However, her party reckons Mugabe was the one who was attacked.
It is understood that because Mugabe was not in the country on official business she is not covered by diplomatic immunity, which is normally afforded to the spouse of a visiting head of state.
It is not known whether she left South Africa after the alleged assault on Sunday night. Gabriella Engels‚ 20, yesterday took to Twitter to reveal a gash on her head she claimed she suffered after being attacked by Grace.
The Zimbabwean First Lady was said to be enraged at finding Engels in the company of her two sons at a Sandton hotel. Grace came under fire for failing to attend a youth rally held by her husband in Gwanda, southern Zimbabwe, on Saturday and instead headed to Johannesburg to visit her sons.
Her sons are reportedly studying in Johannesburg.
While Zimbabwean officials could not be reached at the time of going to press, Zanu-PF, the country’s ruling party, confirmed on Twitter that an altercation did happen, but claimed Grace Mugabe was the victim.
“We can confirm if this is one of the perpetrators who attacked comrade Grace Mugabe.”
The alleged incident happened on Sunday evening at a luxury hotel, The Capital.
According to news site Bulawayo24, Mugabe attacked the young woman with an extension cord after finding her with her sons, Robert Jnr, 25, and Chatunga, 21, after a night of drinking.
The department of international relations and cooperations’ spokesperson, Clayson Monyela, declined to confirm whether Mugabe was in the country or whether an arrest was imminent.
It was reported that diplomatic immunity would not apply to her, given that she was not a government official and was in the country on a private visit.
Engels told her followers on Twitter her friend Robert Junior was thrown out of the hotel and his brother ran away after she and two friends “were beat up in a room with 10+ men” who looked on as she was being assaulted.
“She split my head open in 3 places (sic) With an extension cord and used the plug to hit me.”
The Mugabe sons are said to be regular visitors to top Sandton nightspots. – simnikiweh@citizen.co.za
Take a look at the video in the story below in which Chatunga parties it up with his friends in Joburg.
//
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
