Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest descendant of former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe, has been ordered to leave South Africa following a court ruling in Johannesburg. This comes amidst a backdrop of legal troubles tied to an incident that left an employee at the Mugabe family home injured. Mugabe, aged 28, has been fined for immigration and firearms offences, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by the Mugabe family in the aftermath of their patriarch’s tumultuous rule.
Court Ruling and Deportation
The courtroom drama unfolded on Wednesday, 29 April 2026, where Mugabe was penalised for unrelated charges stemming from a toy gun incident in 2023. He received a fine of 400,000 rand (£17,851) for displaying the toy weapon in a manner that could easily be mistaken for a real firearm. In addition, he was fined another 200,000 rand (£8,919.50) for breaching immigration regulations, after he pleaded guilty to both offences.
Judge Renier Boshoff, presiding over the case, noted the gravity of the situation, stating, “I do not know whether the second accused took the rap for you, and I can only act on what is before me.” The judge’s comments reflected the complexities surrounding the Mugabe family, who have been embroiled in controversy for years.
Following the verdict, Mugabe was escorted to Johannesburg’s international airport, where he is set to be deported back to Zimbabwe, a country that has been both his family’s legacy and a place of profound upheaval.
The Incident and Its Fallout
This legal action comes two months after a serious shooting incident at the Mugabe residence on 19 February, which involved an employee named Sipho Mahlangu. Initially, both Bellarmine Mugabe and his cousin Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze faced charges of attempted murder. However, Matonhodze recently pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempted murder and firearms offences, receiving a three
