South Africa Issues Arrest Warrant against Grace Mugabe
The South African public prosecutor’s office issued an arrest warrant against Grace Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s former First Lady, according to local media.
A human rights lobby group reportedly lobbied to obtain the court’s decision. Ms. Mugabe was accused of assaulting a young model, Gabriella Engels, in a Johannesburg hotel in 2017.
She was allowed to return home after referring to diplomatic immunity, but in July, a court overturned the government’s decision to grant her diplomatic immunity.
Ms. Mugabe had stated at the time that she had acted in self-defence after the “inebriated and unrestrained” model attacked her in a hotel room where she resided with her two sons.
According to Times Live, the lobby group AfriForum, which is pursuing the case, announced the arrest warrant at a press conference on Wednesday morning. “It looks like justice will be served and we look forward to moving this case forward,” said Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum.
The alleged attack took place about three months before the military took power in Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe was forced to resign as president after 37 years in power.
