Zimbabwe’s former first family has been drawn into a criminal case in South Africa after Bellarmine Mugabe, the youngest son of late leader Robert Mugabe, was formally charged with attempted murder following a shooting in Johannesburg.
The 28-year-old appeared briefly before a South African court after his arrest last week. The charges stem from an incident in Hyde Park, an upmarket suburb of Johannesburg, where a 23-year-old man was shot and left seriously wounded.
Mugabe was taken into custody together with his bodyguard, Tobias Tamirepi Matonhodze, 33. Neither of the two has publicly commented on the accusations.
During the court session, Mugabe, dressed in black, remained composed throughout the proceedings.
Police who searched the Hyde Park property where the shooting occurred recovered spent bullet cartridges. However, investigators have not yet found the firearm believed to have been used.
Prosecutors say Mugabe and Matonhodze are also facing additional charges, including defeating the ends of justice, linked to the missing weapon.
The injured man is receiving treatment in hospital and remains in a critical condition.
Outside the courtroom, Mugabe’s lawyer Sinenhlanhla Mnguni told reporters that his client was "fine" while in custody.
According to prosecutors, "an altercation occurred between the victim and the accused inside Mugabe's home". They further allege that as the victim tried to escape, he was "shot in the back and collapsed outside the gate" and the gate was then closed, according to a statement from the National Prosecuting Authority.
Bellarmine is the youngest child of Robert Mugabe and Grace Mugabe. The late Zimbabwean leader ruled the country for 37 years before he was removed from office in 2017 at the age of 93. He died in 2019.
The matter was postponed to 3 March, when the court is expected to hear a bail application from the two accused.
