South Africa grants Grace Mugabe immunity

South Africa has granted diplomatic immunity to Zimbabwe first lady Grace Mugabe, allowing her to return to Harare and avoid prosecution for her alleged assault of a 20-year-old South African model in Johannesburg on Sunday, security source says.

According to Reuters, a source revealed to it that Grace Mugabe, 52, had failed to appear in a Johannesburg magistrate's court on Tuesday under an agreement struck with police because of fears she might be attacked.

There are a lot of exiled Zimbabweans in South Africa, the source said.

South African police had put border posts on "red alert" to prevent Grace from fleeing the country. The police also said she would receive no special treatment in the case involving Gabriella Engels, who says Mugabe inflicted injury on her with an electric extension cable. 

South Africa is home to an estimated three million Zimbabwean exiles who regard President Robert Mugabe as a dictator who has ruined what was once one of Africa's most promising democracies.