Mugabe’s Son Allegedly Paid Victim R400,000 to Silence Shooting Incident
The Alexandra Magistrate’s Court in South Africa heard shocking details on Friday about how Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of the late Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, and his cousin allegedly paid a victim R400,000 to keep quiet about a shooting incident earlier this year.
The case involves Sipho Mahlangu, a 23-year-old man who was shot twice in the back at the Mugabe family’s Hyde Park residence in February. According to investigating officer Colonel Raj Ramchunder, Mahlangu confirmed in court that he was paid R250,000 in cash, with a promise of an additional R150,000 to ensure his silence.
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, 28, and his cousin Tobias Matonhodze, 33, appeared in court for sentencing on Friday, but the matter was postponed to next Wednesday. Both men pleaded guilty earlier this month to charges related to the incident, though their admissions differed in severity.
Mugabe admitted to pointing a firearm at Mahlangu and to being in South Africa illegally but avoided an attempted murder charge. Matonhodze, however, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, unlawful possession of a firearm, and violating the Immigration Act.
The shooting occurred when a confrontation broke out at the Hyde Park property where Mahlangu worked. As he tried to flee, he was shot twice in the back and rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
The court heard that neither Mugabe nor Matonhodze cooperated with police efforts to locate the firearm used in the incident, which has not been recovered. Colonel Ramchunder criticized the pair for showing no remorse and failing to assist authorities.
Their lawyer, Advocate Laurance Hodes, argued for leniency, asking the court not to impose a prison sentence. He suggested a fine or suspended sentence, noting that both men had already spent months behind bars and were willing to cover their own deportation costs to Zimbabwe. Hodes also assured the court that his clients could pay reparations if ordered.
However, Ramchunder pushed back, urging the court to hand down a harsh sentence. He emphasized that the accused had not assisted in locating the weapon and showed no remorse for their actions.
This is not the first time the Mugabe family has been embroiled in a South African legal drama. In 2017, Bellarmine’s mother, former Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe, was accused of assaulting a young model with an extension cord at a Johannesburg hotel. She was granted diplomatic immunity and left the country without facing charges.
The Mugabe name has continued to make headlines for all the wrong reasons. Bellarmine’s older brother, Robert Mugabe Jnr, appeared in a Harare court last year on drug possession charges after police stopped a vehicle traveling the wrong way down a one-way street.
As the sentencing awaits next Wednesday, the case has drawn significant attention, shedding light on the controversial legacy of the Mugabe family within and beyond Zimbabwe’s borders.
— Reported by Nexio News
