Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, has avoided an attempted murder charge after reaching a plea deal in a South African court. The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to pointing a firearm and immigration offences on Friday.
Mugabe and his cousin, Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze, were arrested in mid-February following the shooting of Sipho Mahlangu, an employee at a residence. Mahlangu was hospitalised for his injuries. Under the plea agreement, Mugabe admitted to “the offense of pointing anything which is likely to lead a person to believe it is a firearm” in a separate incident, as well as illegally entering and staying in South Africa.
Matonhodze pleaded guilty to five charges, including attempted murder, possession of an unlawful firearm and ammunition, defeating the ends of justice, and illegal immigration. The pair's lawyer, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, said the state and defence had entered into a Section 112 plea deal under South Africa's Criminal Procedure Act, avoiding a full trial.
Defence lawyer Laurence Hodes argued for leniency, noting that both men had no prior convictions, had compensated the victim financially, and could pay any fine imposed. However, police investigator Lt. Col. Raj Ramchunder told the court that the accused were not assisting in locating the firearm used in the shooting, stating, “The accused shows no remorse in assisting the police in any way to point out the firearm.”
The court accepted the guilty pleas and set sentencing for April 24. The case follows a 2017 incident in which Grace Mugabe, Robert Mugabe's widow, allegedly assaulted a model in Johannesburg but was granted diplomatic immunity.
