Johannesburg - SOUTH Africa’ opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party has accused Police Minister Fikile Mbalula of ‘aiding’ Grace Mugabe to evade arrest after her violent attack on a young model.
The First Lady was expected to appear at Wynburg Magistrates Court on Monday facing charges of assaulting Gabriella Engels who she found in the company of her sons Robert Jr and Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe at an upmarket Sandton hotel.
Reports in Zimbabwe said President Robert Mugabe’s wife has however returned to her homeland.
DA Shadow Police Minister Zakhele Mbhele said the opposition party wants an inquiry into how Mugabe’s wife was allowed to escape arrest.
“The DA will call for an inquiry into how Grace Mugabe was able to leave the country when she was clearly an identified suspect in a criminal charge. We especially need clarity on whether she had VIP protection assigned to her and if so, whether the South African Police Services (SAPS) therefore took her to her plane,” Mbhele said in a statement.
“Whether or not she committed to handing herself over, the SAPS should have done their job and arrested her, as they would any other ordinary person accused of the same crime. An arrest is meant to ensure the accused appears in court. Punishment is not the intention.
“This only leaves us with the startling possibility that Minister Mbalula may have aided and abetted Ms Mugabe’s escape back to her mansion in Zimbabwe – a tactic to which the ANC government is no stranger as they have pulled this stunt before by letting ICC-indicted Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir escape our country.”
The First Lady was expected to appear at Wynburg Magistrates Court on Monday facing charges of assaulting Gabriella Engels who she found in the company of her sons Robert Jr and Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe at an upmarket Sandton hotel.
Reports in Zimbabwe said President Robert Mugabe’s wife has however returned to her homeland.
DA Shadow Police Minister Zakhele Mbhele said the opposition party wants an inquiry into how Mugabe’s wife was allowed to escape arrest.
“The DA will call for an inquiry into how Grace Mugabe was able to leave the country when she was clearly an identified suspect in a criminal charge. We especially need clarity on whether she had VIP protection assigned to her and if so, whether the South African Police Services (SAPS) therefore took her to her plane,” Mbhele said in a statement.
“Whether or not she committed to handing herself over, the SAPS should have done their job and arrested her, as they would any other ordinary person accused of the same crime. An arrest is meant to ensure the accused appears in court. Punishment is not the intention.
“This only leaves us with the startling possibility that Minister Mbalula may have aided and abetted Ms Mugabe’s escape back to her mansion in Zimbabwe – a tactic to which the ANC government is no stranger as they have pulled this stunt before by letting ICC-indicted Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir escape our country.”
