Zimbabwe’s embassy withdraws from Grace Mugabe case

In a surprising twist in the matter involving Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe, the country’s embassy has decided to withdraw from the matter as an intervening party claiming its lawyer had received threats.

The lawyer representing the embassy, Simba Chitando, told the media that: “I have received instructions from consul general of the Zimbabwean embassy which reads: ‘I have read the memorandum by Adv (Simba) Chitando our counsel of record and have personally seen various threats made against him while representing the Zimbabwean embassy.’

“The conducts of various individuals in this matter has made the Zimbabwean embassy and its future involvement in this matter undesirable.

“The Zimbabwean embassy, regardless of the outcome of the proceeding, shall no longer participate in these hearings,” said Chitando on Friday.

Chitando, who did not clarify whether these were death threats, was responding to acting judge Harshila Koovertjie’s short order – in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria – in the application on whether Mugabe should be served court papers at the Zimbabwean embassy in SA or in person in her home country.