The former Zimbabwe First lady unfortunately seems to have made a lot of enemies during the period when she had power and immunity to prosecution, now that many are filing and seeking for her arrest to face the law.
After her husband, Robert Mugabe resigned from the presidential office last year in November, reports reported first that the former First Family would still enjoy immunity and not get prosecuted for one’s bad deeds after.
However, the current President, Emmerson Mnangagwa clarified that point and said that only Robert Gabriel Mugabe, the former Zimbabwe President, would be the only member from the former First Family to still be immune to prosecution, but, the rest of the members including Grace Mugabe and Mugabe’s children, would face the law if they committed any crime and proved guilty.
In an interview with BBC’s Mishal Husain during the World Economic Forum, WEF annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Mnangagwa said that Grace enjoyed no immunity and could be arrested and taken to court on any charges.
With the clarification, Grace Mugabe was uncovered from her immunity veil and is now just like any other ordinary person who would be prosecuted in case of any crime committed.
Mnangagwa has already withdrawn close security officials who were assigned to Grace, although Mugabe remains protected by the state.
Gabriella Engels, a South African model who was walloped by Grace Mugabe with an electric cord in a hotel in South Africa, has re-appeared with her still unsolved case and still wants Ms. Mugabe to be dragged to South Africa from where she committed the crime, and face the music accordingly.
Gabriella was hit by Grace in one of the hotels in South Africa after allegations that Ms. Mugabe found her with one of her sons. The model was left nursing her then seriously bruised forehead and the back of her neck – she said.
The model, her family and lawyers resurfaced with the case and asked Emmerson Mnangagwa, the current Zimbabwean President to do the right thing and hand the criminal to the law in South Africa, and pay for her assault crime, filed by Gabriella Engels.
‘If I had the opportunity to meet the new Zimbabwean president, I would ask him to do the right thing and handover Grace for prosecution,’ Engels said.
‘We are aware that she is no longer a person of power, that her husband was ousted from office and that the government of Zimbabwe said she does not enjoy any immunity anymore,’ Engels’ mother said.
‘In light of the latest developments, our lawyers are working on that case to secure justice for my child,’ she added.
Engels said her family was grateful and happy that Zimbabweans ousted the Mugabes because they were now abusing power to put fear into her family.
‘Most definitely, I am happy, we are free and we will continue to fight until we get justice.’
Back home in Zimbabwe, villagers from Manzou Farm who had their property razed down and crops destroyed at Grace’s instigation are also plotting legal action against the former First Lady.
The villagers held meetings last week to discuss their case and are in the process of engaging their lawyers with a view to sue Grace.
Aspinas Mafuka, one of the affected villagers, said in an interview that the villagers had met to consider the way forward following the ouster of the Mugabes.
‘We are considering action against Grace. She no longer has state power behind her and is now just an ordinary person. The families who suffered at her hands strongly feel she committed crimes against humanity and are hurt by the loss of property and we are now considering court action,’ he informed.
In addition, Grace Mugabe’s PhD that she received from one of the Universities in Zimbabwe in 2014 is also still questionable as she got it in less than three months after she had joined the University.
Investigations are still ongoing and if found that she earned it illegally, then she and the lecturers that helped her in the course, will be accountable and charged by the court of law, for the crime committed.
The Zimbabwe Women’s League that was also once led by the former First Lady, recently called on the President, Emmerson Mnangagwa to bring Grace Mugabe to face the law for the crimes she committed within the party during the time she led, including corruption, embezzlement of funds and misuse of office in general.
Reporter: Shamilah Namuddu
