News24 | Mugabe’s son to spend another week behind bars

Bellarmine Mugabe, son of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, made his first appearance at the Alexandra Magistrate's Court on Monday.

• Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
• He and his bodyguard are charged with attempted murder in connection with a shooting incident at a property in Hyde Park last week, in which a staff member was injured.
• The case has been postponed for a formal bail application.

Late former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe’s attempted-murder-accused son will spend another week behind bars after his case was postponed on Monday for a bail application.

Twenty-nine-year-old Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe made his first appearance in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Monday morning alongside his bodyguard.

The pair was arrested at a Hyde Park property last week, following a shooting incident during which a member of staff at the residence was injured.

The court heard investigations were “far from over”.

Proceedings got off to a delayed start after the accused were first taken to Randburg Magistrate’s Court in error, raising Magistrate Renier Boshoff’s ire and seeing him threaten to strike the matter from the roll at one point. They were eventually brought to the correct court, though, and the matter was heard.

Mugabe – the youngest son of the late Zimbabwean president and his second wife Grace Mugabe – emerged from the grills to a packed gallery. His mother – who is reportedly in Singapore – was notably absent. This with a warrant for her arrest having been issued in 2018 in connection with an alleged assault on model Gabriella Engels. Mugabe was met, instead, by a throng of journalists, their cameras furiously clicking away.

READ | Robert Mugabe’s son collapses twice in custody as police still on the hunt for missing gun

He appeared nonplussed. The shackles around his ankles clinked loudly as he shuffled into the dock, dressed in an all-black ensemble and looking straight ahead. His co-accused, his bodyguard Tobias Tamirepi Mugabe Matonhdze, meanwhile, had a small smile on his face. It is unclear what – if any – relation Matonhdze is to Mugabe.

In addition to attempted murder, the two now also face charges of defeating the administration of justice as well contravening the Firearms Control Act.

Prosecutor Lufuno Maphiri said on Monday they were being charged under the doctrine of common purpose.

The incident at the heart of the case took place on Friday and has dominated headlines since, with the whereabouts of the firearm used a key question and the basis for the first of the two new charges. News24 previously reported that a fire engine and police divers were called in to drain and search the pool at the plush Hyde Park property, but that police suspected it may have been removed from the scene before they arrived.

By Monday, it was still missing.

“The firearm, to date, has not been recovered,” Maphiri told the court during proceedings – adding that they suspected it had “been concealed”.

Maphiri also told the court that the State “still needs to do profiling of both accused persons” as well as that they still had to check their immigration status.

News24 reported on the weekend that Mugabe suffered from a chronic condition and had twice collapsed in custody, with efforts to get him his medication proving a challenge.

This was not addressed in court on Monday, but his lawyer, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, was asked about it afterwards.

Mnguni said:

Against the backdrop of the investigations that were still outstanding, the case was on Monday postponed until 3 March for a formal bail application, with the State indicating that it was planning on opposing bail.