Mugabe wife in assault claim
THE wife of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe is being sought by police over claims she attacked a model with a plug in a hotel room.
Grace Mugabe, 52, who is seen as a possible successor to her 93-year-old husband, allegedly attacked Gabriella Engels while she was visiting the couple’s sons in South Africa.
Police said officers were negotiating with Mrs Mugabe’s legal team to get her to appear in court over the allegations, but she declined and has since returned to Zimbabwe.
‘The negotiations over the suspect handing herself over have not concluded and our investigations have not finalised,” said police spokesman Vishnu Naidoo.
Miss Engels, 20, claims Mrs Mugabe’s bodyguards stood by as she was hit with an extension cord.
She posted a picture on social media showing a gash in her forehead said to have been caused by the attack.
The model said she had been with a friend visiting the Mugabes’ sons Robert and Chatunga at a hotel in the upmarket Sandton district of Johannesburg at the weekend.
She claimed they had been asked to wait in a separate room when she was set upon by Mrs Mugabe.
“When Grace entered, I had no idea who she was,” she said. “She walked in with an extension cord and 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 needed to crawl out of the room before I could run away.
“Her 10 bodyguards just stood there watching. There was blood everywhere.”
Miss Engels told the news website News24 that she will be left with a scar on her forehead that will ruin her career as a model.
SHE WALKED IN WITH AN EXTENSION CORD AND STARTED BEATING ME WITH IT. SHE FLIPPED AND JUST KEPT BEATING ME GABRIELLA ENGELS
Authorities in Zimbabwe confirmed that Mrs Mugabe had returned home from South Africa after failing to turn herself in to police in Johannesburg.
“Yes, she is back in the country. We don’t know where this issue of assault charges is coming from,” said a senior government official.
It was reported in South Africa that diplomatic immunity will not apply in the case because Mrs Mugabe, who is nicknamed ‘Gucci Grace’ by critics who accuse her of lavish spending, is not a part of Zimbabwe’s government and was on a private visit.