Gabriella Engels’ mother said that the judgment which could see former Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe facing trial for allegedly assaulting her daughter was a “big victory” that showed nobody was above the law.

“I told my daughter that‚ no matter what happens‚ I’m proud of her. Whether this case goes to trial or not‚ she stood up for herself. And she showed other people how to stand up for themselves‚” Debbie Engels said during an interview with TimesLIVE on Monday evening.

“I always tell her: you don’t need an elephant to take down another elephant. You need a mouse. She has shown that.

“A lot of people would not have done what Gabriella did. They would have taken the money and walked away. But she didn’t do that.”

Engels has repeatedly claimed that Gabriella was offered cash to drop her assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm case against Mugabe. But she is adamant that “money cannot buy justice”.