The son of Zimbabwe’s late former leader Robert Mugabe has pleaded guilty to lesser charges in a high-profile shooting case in South Africa.
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, 29, admitted in a Johannesburg court to illegally being in the country and pointing a firearm but denied shooting and seriously injuring his gardener during an altercation in the upscale Hyde Park suburb.
He had been arrested alongside his cousin and co-accused, Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze, following the February incident.
While Bellarmine Mugabe denied the attempted murder charge, Matonhodze pleaded guilty to attempted murder, as well as violating immigration and firearm laws.
Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, Defence Lawyer “We had initially engaged with the state with the intention of finalising a plea and sentencing agreement, but those discussions collapsed at the last minute.”
The defence has rejected claims that Matonhodze is taking responsibility on behalf of Mugabe, calling such suggestions “ludicrous”.
Police say the firearm used in the shooting has still not been recovered.
The case has now been postponed to April 24, as investigations continue.
Bellarmine Mugabe, known for a lavish lifestyle in Johannesburg, is one of the sons of the late Zimbabwean strongman, who ruled the country for nearly four decades before being ousted in 2017.
The case continues to draw attention, highlighting both legal and political sensitivities surrounding one of southern Africa’s most prominent families.
