Authorities arrested Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe the youngest son of late Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, last week in Johannesburg. He appeared in the Alexandra Magistrates Court on February 23, 2026, alongside co-accused Tobias Tamirepi Matonhodze.
The court postponed the case to March 3 for further investigations and a bail application. Officials did not ask Mugabe to enter a plea. He remained in custody until the next hearing.
Incident Details
The arrest followed a shooting on February 19, 2026, at a property in the upmarket Hyde Park suburb. A 23-year-old man, believed to be a gardener at the residence, suffered a gunshot wound to the back during an altercation inside the home.
The victim attempted to flee but collapsed outside the gate. He stayed in hospital under police guard and in critical condition, according to Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, a police spokesperson, who spoke to the national broadcaster SABC.
Additional Charges
Prosecutors charged Mugabe and Matonhodze with attempted murder. Additionally, they faced accusations of obstructing justice, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, immigration violations for suspected illegal stay in South Africa, and theft.
Magaboke Mohlatlole, a state prosecutor, explained that one accused took the gate remote from the victim after the shooting. Police found bullet cartridges at the scene but recovered no firearm.
Statements from Involved Parties
Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, Mugabe’s lawyer, declined to comment on the charges but confirmed his client was “fine” in custody. Mnguni added he would seek bail at the next appearance. Neither Mugabe nor Matonhodze commented publicly on the allegations.
Background Context
Mugabe, aged 28, gained notoriety in the 2010s for his lavish lifestyle displays online. His father ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years until a 2017 coup ousted him. Robert Mugabe died in 2019 at age 95.
