- Bellarmine Mugabe, the youngest son of late Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, faces attempted murder charges in South Africa.
- The incident occurred last week at his Hyde Park property in Johannesburg, leaving a 23-year-old man critically injured.
- Police recovered bullet cartridges but no firearm, leading to additional charges of defeating the ends of justice.
- Mugabe appeared calm in court and remains in custody, with a bail hearing set for March 3.
Bellarmine Mugabe, 28, was arrested following a shooting that critically injured a 23-year-old man at his upscale Johannesburg home last Thursday. The police investigation at the Hyde Park property recovered bullet cartridges but has yet to locate the firearm used in the attack.
According to prosecutors, an argument erupted between Mugabe, Matonhodze, and the victim inside the property. While attempting to escape, the victim was allegedly shot in the back outside the gate, which was then reportedly closed.
Mugabe and his 33-year-old bodyguard, Tobias Tamirepi Matonhodze, appeared in a Johannesburg court on Monday. Both men are charged with attempted murder and defeating the ends of justice due to the missing firearm.
Dressed in black, Bellarmine Mugabe maintained a composed demeanour throughout the brief proceedings. His lawyer, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, told reporters that Mugabe was “fine” and continuing to cooperate with authorities.
Bellarmine is the youngest son of Robert Mugabe and his second wife, Grace Mugabe. Robert Mugabe ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years until he was forced from power in 2017 and passed away in 2019 at the age of 95.
This is the first publicised criminal case involving Bellarmine, attracting significant attention due to his family’s political prominence.
The case has been postponed to March 3, when the court will hear bail applications for Mugabe and Matonhodze. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities seeking to recover the missing firearm and fully establish the circumstances of the shooting.
The victim remains in critical condition in the hospital, and police continue to investigate the events leading to the attack.
