South Africa Issues Warrant for Arrest of Zimbabwe’s Grace Mugabe

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Grace Mugabe, wife of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, and Interpol’s help is being sought to help enforce it.

This follows after Mrs Mugabe’s diplomatic immunity was overturned in July this year… which paved the way for Mrs Mugabe to be prosecuted for allegedly assaulting a South African model – Gabrielle Engels – with an electric cable at a luxury hotel in Johannesburg in August 2017.

Mrs Mugabe had been on a private visit to South Africa and therefore did not qualify for diplomatic immunity, which had originally been granted until Engels – with the help of AfriForum – challenged the decision.

South African Police Service spokesman Vishnu Naidoo said: “I can confirm that a warrant for the arrest of Grace Mugabe was issued last Thursday.”

Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, welcomed the news.

“This is the result of a very long process. AfriForum first had to approach the court to have Mugabe’s diplomatic immunity set aside which paved the way for the police to investigate and it has now reached a point where an arrest can be made,” says Kriel.

“We hope this sends a very clear message that no one is above the law, even if your name is Mugabe,” he says.

He added that police were seeking Interpol’s help to enforce the warrant. 

According to Reuters, there was no immediate comment from Mrs Mugabe or from authorities in Harare.

Mrs Mugabe was seen as a potential successor to her 94-year-old husband Robert, who ruled Zimbabwe from 1980 until he was ousted in a coup late last year, at the time of the incident.

She has denied assaulting Engels with an electric cable, saying an “intoxicated and unhinged” Engels attacked her with a knife after the model had gone to see the Mugabes’ sons at the hotel.

Mrs Mugabe has retreated from the limelight in Zimbabwe since her husband was ousted in the November 2017 coup.

Sources: Reuters, SAPeople, AfriForum