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AFP
JOHANNESBURG: A South African court on Monday ruled that former Zimbabwean first Grace Mugabe did not have diplomatic immunity when she allegedly beat a young woman with an electric cord.
Mugabe received immunity from prosecution by officials after being accused of becoming angry and beating the model Gabriella Engels, who had been with her sons in a luxury hotel of Johannesburg.
Engels suffered cuts on the forehead and the back of the head. August 13th.
Judge Bashier Vally stated that the decision of officials of the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs was "inconsistent with the Constitution" and annulled it.
Following the incident, the police had promised to prevent Mugabe from leaving the country. been while her husband was on an official visit – but retreated after the decision of immunity. The Foreign Ministry had declared that immunity was important to maintain relations between South Africa and Zimbabwe
. The main opposition party of South Africa, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has supported the legal reversal effort. Grace's Immunity
"It's a great day for justice, the rule of law and shows that no one is above the law," said the party's president. , James Selfe.
"The South African government has chosen to place the policy of opportunism over the rule of law."
Engels' legal representative, Willie Spies, said the decision "paves the way for … criminal prosecution".
"We noted the judgment, we study it, we will comment later if necessary," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Ndivhuwo Mabaya.
Mugabe did not comment on this decision when she voted Monday in Zimbabwe's historic elections – the first in which her husband was not a candidate.
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