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Grace Mugabe back in Zimbabwe amid SA assault claims Grace Mugabe: South Africa grants immunity despite assault claim
(about 5 hours later)
The wife of the Zimbabwean leader, Robert Mugabe, has returned home from South Africa, despite allegations of an assault at a hotel in Johannesburg. South Africa has granted diplomatic immunity to Zimbabwean First Lady Grace Mugabe, allowing her to leave the country without answering questions about an assault allegation.
Grace Mugabe, 52, landed at Harare early on Sunday, Zimbabwean radio said. President Robert Mugabe and his wife arrived back in Harare early on Sunday.
She had intended to appear at a summit on Saturday but failed to show. She also applied for diplomatic immunity but it was unclear if this was granted. Mrs Mugabe, 52, is accused of assaulting model Gabriella Engels a week ago at a Johannesburg hotel where her sons were staying.
Mrs Mugabe had been accused of hitting a 20-year-old woman over the head with an extension cord. She has not commented publicly on the case.
Zimbabwe's ZBC state broadcaster said: "President Robert Mugabe, accompanied by the first lady, arrived on board an Air Zimbabwe flight early on Sunday morning." A lawyer for Ms Engels told the BBC that they were planning to challenge the immunity decision in court.
Willie Spies said he would argue that the first lady should not have been given special treatment as she had been in South Africa on private business.
The South African government's decision came in a notice from International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, published in the Government Gazette on Sunday.
"I hereby recognise the immunities and privileges of the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Grace Mugabe," she said.
On Saturday, Mrs Mugabe had been due to take part in the first ladies' programme at the Southern African Development Community heads of state summit in Pretoria, which Mr Mugabe, 93, was attending.
However, she failed to show up.
South African police had said they wanted to interview Mrs Mugabe and had set up a "red alert" at the borders to try to ensure she did not leave the country.
But Zimbabwe's ZBC state broadcaster reported that President Mugabe and his wife "arrived on board an Air Zimbabwe flight early on Sunday morning".
It showed pictures of her greeting officials at Harare airport.It showed pictures of her greeting officials at Harare airport.
Mrs Mugabe had been due to take part on Saturday in the first ladies' programme at the Southern African Development Community heads of state summit in Pretoria, which Mr Mugabe, 93, was attending. Ms Engels' lawyers have said their client was offered money to drop the case but she refused.
South African police had said they wanted to interview Mrs Mugabe and set up a "red alert" at the country's borders to try to ensure she did not flee the country. She appeared at a press conference on Thursday with a large plaster on her forehead. She has alleged that Mrs Mugabe beat her with an extension cable at the hotel where the model was staying with Mrs Mugabe's two sons.
It remains unclear whether South Africa's government granted Mrs Mugabe's plea for diplomatic immunity.
She has not commented on the allegation.
Lawyers for Gabriella Engels, the woman who accused Mrs Mugabe of hitting her, say their client was offered money to drop the case but she refused.
Ms Engels appeared at a press conference on Thursday with a large plaster on her forehead.
She told the BBC: "She hit me with the plug and the extension cord. And I just remember being curled down on the floor with blood rushing down my face and down my neck."She told the BBC: "She hit me with the plug and the extension cord. And I just remember being curled down on the floor with blood rushing down my face and down my neck."
The South African Broadcasting Corporation said the Mugabes were scheduled to attend a funeral for a state minister at Harare's Heroes Acre on Sunday.The South African Broadcasting Corporation said the Mugabes were scheduled to attend a funeral for a state minister at Harare's Heroes Acre on Sunday.