Robert Mugabe’s Son Bellarmine Pleads Guilty in South Africa Gun Case as Co-Accused Admits Shooting
Bellarmine Mugabe, the youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former president Robert Mugabe, has pleaded guilty to charges of pointing a firearm and illegally residing in South Africa, in a case linked to a shooting incident in Johannesburg.
The 28-year-old appeared in court in Alexandra on Friday alongside his co-accused, Tobias Matonhodze, following their arrest in February. Mugabe entered guilty pleas to the charges but was no longer facing attempted murder after prosecutors dropped that count.
Authorities said the attempted murder charge was withdrawn after Matonhodze admitted to being the one who shot a 23-year-old man during the incident.
Matonhodze, 33, pleaded guilty to several serious offences, including attempted murder, possession of ammunition, illegal immigration, and defeating the ends of justice.
The case stems from an incident at Mugabe’s home in the upscale Johannesburg suburb of Hyde Park, where police were called after reports of a shooting. A man, believed to be a security guard, was found with gunshot wounds and taken to hospital in critical condition.
Prosecutors told the court that the shooting followed a dispute between the individuals inside the property. The victim was reportedly shot twice in the back as he attempted to flee the scene.
Despite investigations, authorities have not yet recovered the firearm believed to have been used in the shooting.
Mugabe’s guilty plea to pointing a firearm relates to a separate incident, but he agreed to have both matters heard together in court.
Lawyers representing both men told the court they would be willing to return to Zimbabwe at their own expense if the court decides not to impose a custodial sentence.
Both accused have remained in custody since their arrest on 19 February. The case has experienced multiple delays, including postponed bail hearings earlier in the proceedings.
The National Prosecuting Authority confirmed that sentencing has now been scheduled for 24 April, when the court is expected to determine the consequences for both men.
This is not the first time Bellarmine Mugabe has faced legal trouble. In 2024, he was arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer in Beitbridge, a town on Zimbabwe’s border with South Africa. Although he was granted bail, a warrant was later issued for his arrest after he failed to appear in court.
In a separate incident in June the following year, he was again arrested for allegedly assaulting a security guard at a mining site near Mazowe, north of Harare. That case is still ongoing.
Bellarmine Mugabe is one of the sons of Robert Mugabe and his second wife, Grace Mugabe. His father ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years before being removed from power in a military intervention in 2017. He died in 2019.
The latest case has drawn attention both in South Africa and Zimbabwe, given the family’s political history and the seriousness of the charges involved.
As sentencing approaches, the court will consider the guilty pleas, the circumstances surrounding the shooting, and the roles played by both accused in determining the final outcome.
