Authorities in South Africa have taken into custody Bellarmine Mugabe, the youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late President Robert Mugabe, following a violent incident at a high-end Johannesburg residence that left a young man critically wounded.
The incident occurred in Hyde Park, one of the city’s wealthiest suburbs, and sparked an immediate police response.
The 28-year-old Mugabe was arrested after a 23-year-old man, reportedly employed as a gardener at the property, was shot and seriously injured. The victim was transported to a hospital and remains in critical condition following the gunshot.
Police searching the house recovered spent bullet casings but were unable to locate the weapon used in the shooting. Investigators are continuing to gather evidence to determine exactly how the events unfolded.
Bellarmine Mugabe is the youngest child of Robert Mugabe and his second wife, Grace Mugabe. Robert Mugabe, who passed away in 2019, led Zimbabwe for 37 years before stepping down in 2017 at the age of 93.
Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, a police spokesperson, confirmed that another man was also taken into custody in connection with the case. Both suspects are expected to face court proceedings "soon," according to a police statement.
Police have not officially named Bellarmine Mugabe in the arrest notice, but reporters at the scene saw him handcuffed, and his identity has been widely reported in the media.
Nevhuhulwi told journalists outside the property that the suspects have refused to reveal the location of the firearm, saying, "they are not saying anything about the gun."
Investigators continue their work to locate the missing weapon and fully establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting, while the community watches closely as details emerge.
