South Africa’s police ministry on Wednesday confirmed Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe, wanted in connection with the assault of a young woman in Johannesburg the past weekend, was still in the country and her government was attempting to invoke diplomatic immunity.
Mugabe was meant to hand herself over to police for a warning statement on Tuesday after arrangements were made with her lawyers.
“Thesuspect’s lawyers andhergovernmentrepresentativesmadeverbalrepresentations toSAPS [SA Police Service] investigatorsthatthesuspectwishedtoinvokediplomatic immunitycoverandthussheelected tochange hermindaboutthewarningstatement. Subsequently,theGovernmentofZimbabwehasdispatchedadiplomaticnoteverbale to the DepartmentofInternational Relationsand CooperationinvokingsaidDiplomatic Immunitycover,” a statement from the ministry said.
“ThesuspectremainsinSouthAfricaandhasnotdepartedtheRepublic, weareadvised heritinerary includes, amongstprivate matters, her attendanceandparticipationat the scheduledSADCHeadsofStates/GovernmentsSummitandBi-lateralDiplomatic Meetingsalreadyunderwayin Pretoria.”
The statement said discussion’s with her lawyers and the Zimbabwean High Commission would continue to ensure Mugabe “is processedthroughthe legalsystem”.
Earlier on Wednesday, acting national police commissioner Lesetja Mothiba told a parliamentary committee that police, together with National Prosecuting Authority boss Shaun Abrahams, had decided they would go ahead with charging her despite her pleas for diplomatic immunity cover.
“Our position was that she must go to court. The whole day yesterday [Tuesday] we were waiting for her…. we were expecting a statement from her,” said Mothiba.
President Robert Mugabe’s wife allegedly attacked a young woman with an extension cord after finding her with her two sons in Sandton, Johannesburg. The young woman suffered head injuries and bruises on her body.
The Zimbabwe first lady was in South Africa apparently to seek medical attention.
– African News Agency (ANA)
