Johannesburg – In a dramatic twist, arrested 28-year-old Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of late Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, has pleaded guilty to pointing a firearm.
Mugabe also pleaded guilty at the Alexandra Regional Court to contravening South Africa’s immigration laws by being in the country illegally.
Mugabe appeared in court on Friday, 17 April 2026, alongside his cousin and co-accused, 33-year-old Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze, who entered a guilty plea to the more serious charge of attempted murder.
Matonhodze also pleaded guilty to defeating the ends of justice, illegal immigration, and unlawful possession of ammunition.
Charges against the accused stem from a February shooting incident at the Mugabe family residence in upmarket Hyde Park, where 23-year-old gardener Sipho Mahlangu was shot and wounded.
The pointing of the gun charge admitted to by Mugabe, apparently, occurred in a separate incident about two weeks before the Hyde Park shooting.
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The weapon has never been recovered.
However, the state alleges the weapon used in the shooting was an illegal firearm.
The gardener who was hospitalised has since been discharged and seemingly vanished.
On Friday, defence lawyer Advocate Laurence Hodes SC, appearing for Mugabe, addressed the court in mitigation of sentence.
Hodes urged the magistrate to impose a non-custodial sentence, including a fine and wholly suspended terms of imprisonment for both accused.
He told the court that Mugabe was willing to pay compensation to the victim and to cover the full costs of his own deportation back to Zimbabwe.
Hodes emphasised Mugabe’s remorse and the fact that he had already spent time in custody.
The court heard that both men entered South Africa illegally and were undocumented at the time of the incident.
Matonhodze allegedly disposed of the gun after the shooting.
After hearing the guilty pleas and mitigation arguments, the presiding magistrate adjourned the matter to next week, Friday, 24 April 2026, for further submissions on victim compensation and the missing firearm.
Both accused remain in custody pending the next appearance.
