26 days after, Mugabe’s wife denies attacking S’African model

Almost a month after she was charged to court for allegedly attacking a South African model, Gabriella Engels, 20, with an extension cord, wounding her forehead and the back of her head for hanging out with her sons in a Johannesburg hotel, Zimbabwe’s first lady, Grace Mugabe has denied attacking the model.

Instead, Grace is now claiming that an “intoxicated and unhinged” Engels attacked her with a knife when she intervened on behalf of her adult sons Chatunga and Robert Junior who were “in trouble with a drunken young woman”.

In her statement, Mrs Mugabe dismissed Engels’ version as “malicious allegations” and said she had been attacked after going to help her sons.

Read also: South Africa border officials on alert to prevent departure of Mugabe’s wife

“She was worried about them and went to see them at their hotel suite,” the statement said. “Upon her arrival, Ms Engels, who was intoxicated and unhinged, attacked Dr. Grace Mugabe with a knife after she was asked to leave the hotel.”

“Security was left with no other option but to remove Ms Engels from the hotel suite,” it continued.

However, a group representing Engels dismissed Mugabe’s allegations as lies.

Recalling the incident, Grace allegedly arrived with bodyguards at a hotel in Johannesburg accusing Engels of living with her sons who are both based in the city and are in their 20s.

According to the model, an irate Mugabe burst into the room where she was waiting with two friends to meet one of her sons, Chatunga on Aug. 13 and attacked her with an electric cable.

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