Bellarmine “Chatunga” Mugabe, son of the late Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe, has pleaded guilty to contravening South Africa’s immigration laws, while his co-accused admitted to more serious charges, including attempted murder, in proceedings at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Mugabe and his co-accused, Tobias Tamirepi Matonhodze, appeared in court on 17 April in connection with a February shooting incident at Mugabe’s Hyde Park residence in Johannesburg, where a 23-year-old employee was shot and seriously injured.
In a significant development, Mugabe pleaded guilty to pointing a firearm in a separate, unrelated matter and to being in the country illegally. The firearm charge he admitted to does not relate to the Hyde Park shooting. In the current case before court, Mugabe’s guilty plea is limited to the immigration violation.
Matonhodze, however, pleaded guilty to five charges, including attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, illegal immigration, and possession of ammunition.
The charges stem from a shooting that took place in February 2026 at the upscale Hyde Park property, where the victim, now identified as Sipho Mahlangu, sustained serious injuries after being shot. The motive for the shooting remains unclear.
Police investigations into the incident have faced challenges, particularly the failure to recover the firearm allegedly used. According to information presented in court, South African Police Service (SAPS) officers conducted extensive searches for the weapon, including combing through a murky pool on the property over several days, but it has not been found.
A source familiar with the matter alleged that individuals linked to private security structures protecting wealthy foreign nationals may have removed the firearm from the scene before police could secure it. This claim has not been officially confirmed.
During proceedings, the State called the investigating officer, Colonel Raj, who testified that both accused were present during the incident and that the firearm used was illegal. He further told the court that Matonhodze is undocumented in South Africa.
“The accused show no remorse in stating where the firearm is,” Raj told the court.
Advocate Laurence Hodes, representing Mugabe, argued for leniency, citing mitigating factors. He told the court that Mugabe is willing to pay a fine and has offered to fund his own deportation back to Zimbabwe.
Hodes also requested non-custodial sentences for both accused, proposing suspended sentences as a warning, along with monetary penalties and compensation to the victim.
The court heard that the matter has been postponed to 24 April 2026 to allow for verification on whether Mahlangu has been compensated and to establish further details regarding the missing firearm.
The case has sparked strong reactions on social media, with some users questioning the handling of the charges and the apparent distinction between the accused.
One user wrote: “So the cousin is taking the fall for the real serious charges. Mugabe is only getting six months, parole in three, then self-deport.”
Another commented: “We are not stupid. Why wasn’t this mentioned on the first day at the police station? So basically Robert Mugabe’s son has been in jail for over a month for entering SA illegally.”
As the case unfolds, attention remains focused on the unresolved questions surrounding the missing firearm, the circumstances of the shooting, and whether justice will be seen to be served.
