Grace Mugabe may be prosecuted over land, ‘fake’ degree

– Deposed Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe is being investigated by the country’s antigraft agency over land she controversially acquired while in power, as well as a doctorate degree the university says she didn’t deserve, authorities said yesterday.

Long-time Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe and his wife were kicked out of power last year

Harare

after a military takeover.

The new government of Mugabe’s former deputy, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has praised Mugabe as a former liberation hero and has said the Mugabes can stay in the country.

However, Grace Mugabe, who is widely unpopular and whose plans to replace her elderly husband were a catalyst behind the military coup, now looks like she may face prosecution after all.

“The Zimbabwe Anticorruption Commission has indeed opened investigations on how the former first lady, Grace Mugabe, acquired her doctorate degree after going through the report from the lecturers from the University of Zimbabwe’s sociology department.

“The lecturers are alleging that no due process was followed,” Goodson Nguni, the Zimbabwe anticorruption commissioner responsible for investigations, said.

“The antigraft body is also looking into how she acquired huge tracts of land in Manzou Farm in Mazowe, where she allegedly forced out villagers to make way for her game park,” he said.

“The commission will then pass on the findings to the National Prosecuting Authority for prosecution, since it has no arresting powers.”

Nguni added that the body was investigating Mugabe’s sons, Bellarmine and Robert Junior, over their alleged involvement in mineral trading, but declined to give any details. – dpa