Grace Mugabe offers South African model money to quash assault claim – Lawyer

A lawyer has revealed that Grace Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s first lady, offered the 20-year old South African model she allegedly assaulted some cash to make everything go away.

Police have said they were also on high alert to make sure that the 52-year-old wife of President Robert Mugabe does not skip the country, with an arrest warrant reportedly being considered.

She appeared at a press conference Thursday, wearing a large plaster on the left side of her forehead.Engel’s skull injury.

Her “family has been approached by a third party to accept an amount of money to settle this,” said Gerrie Nel, the lawyer who prosecuted fallen athlete, Oscar Pistorius.

They were told, “Let us talk and this can go away. There was no amount mentioned,” said Nel, flanked by Engels and her mother.

“The family is not interested in doing this,” added Nel, who became famous for leading the prosecution of Paralympian Pistorius who, in 2015, was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend.

Her two sons were staying at the hotel where the assault is alleged to have taken place.

A “red alert” has also been put out at the country’s borders, Police Minister Fikile Mbalula told reporters.

Nel said an officer investigating the case had told Engels on Thursday that “they would now apply for a warrant” (of arrest).

“We just want to make sure that everybody is equal before the law and that there should not be selective prosecution,” said Nel

[AFP]