Divided opinion on reports of South Africa granting Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity

Record ID: 906914

  • Title: Divided opinion on reports of South Africa granting Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity
  • Date: 18th August 2017
  • Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (AUGUST 18, 2017) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZEN, NOKULUNGA, SAYING: "It's common sense for her to be punished for a crime she committed, like if it was another person , random person they would have taken action. Just because it's Grace Mugabe, we have to like… it's just not right." (SOUNDBITE) (English and Sotho) SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZEN, YVONNE MABUSE, SAYING: "Just because, cause she is the President's wife, she is supposed to leave just like that. But if it was in their country they wouldn't allow that to happen, cause in their country they get punished, so this means she does as she pleases in our country, just because she is the President's wife. But if it was anyone, they would have wanted that person until they get them." (SOUNDBITE) (English) CONGO CITIZEN, PUTCHU SAMKAMO, SAYING: "She's a first lady of her country, you know, she cannot be handled like layman in the street, you know? Because in the world there is, you cannot just ignore these, uhm, these things. It's natural that we are not equal in the world, she has to be treated like the first lady, she is the first lady we can't, they just cannot raid her and just arraign her like a common criminal." CENTURION, NEAR PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA (AUGUST 17, 2017) (REUTERS) GABRIELLA ENGELS AND HER MOTHER DEBBIE (FAR LEFT) SEATED WITH LAWYERS FROM AFRIFORUM, AN AFRIKAANS RIGHTS GROUP GABRIELLA ENGELS AND HER MOTHER DEBBIE LOOKING ON GABRIELLA ENGELS WITH BANDAGE ON FOREHEAD
  • Embargoed: 1st September 2017 12:00
  • Keywords: Gabriella Engels Debbie Engels Grace Mugabe assault crime diplomatic immunity
  • Location: JOHANNESBURG AND CENTURION, SOUTH AFRICA/ HARARE, ZIMBABWE
  • City: JOHANNESBURG AND CENTURION, SOUTH AFRICA/ HARARE, ZIMBABWE
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
  • Reuters ID: LVA0036UOMS7B
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Opinion was divided on Friday (August 18) in South Africa where reports came out that the government is planning to grant diplomatic immunity to Zimbabwe's first lady Grace Mugabe, allowing her to return to Harare and avoid prosecution for the alleged assault of a 20-year-old model.
    South African police have put border posts on "red alert" to prevent Mugabe fleeing and said she will not receive special treatment, after Gabriella Engels accused Mugabe of whipping her with an electric extension cable.
    The source said there was "no way" Mugabe, 52, would be arrested for the alleged assault, but that Pretoria expected the granting of diplomatic immunity to be challenged in court.
    The alleged victim, Gabriella Engels, said she was assaulted by Mugabe on Sunday evening as she waited with two friends in a luxury Johannesburg hotel suite to meet one of Mugabe's adult sons.
    A lawyer for Mugabe identified by Reuters refused to comment.
    Zimbabwe's 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe arrived early in Pretoria for a regional southern African summit this week to help resolve his wife's legal problems, a government source said.
    Grace Mugabe is expected to attend the summit as part of a "first spouses" programme.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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