Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe, is set to be deported back to Zimbabwe after a South African court ruled on multiple charges against him. This decision comes in the wake of a violent incident at the Mugabe family residence in Johannesburg where an employee was shot. Mugabe has pleaded guilty to various offences, leading to significant fines and his impending expulsion.
Court Ruling and Charges
On April 29, 2026, the court in Johannesburg handed down its verdict, with Mugabe facing fines totalling 600,000 rand (£26,770). The charges arose from two separate incidents, including an earlier offence involving the reckless display of a toy gun, which could easily have been mistaken for a real firearm. Mugabe’s cousin, Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze, also faced serious charges related to the shooting incident on February 19, where he has since pleaded guilty to attempted murder, firearms offences, and immigration violations, resulting in a three-year prison sentence.
During the proceedings, Magistrate Renier Boshoff expressed uncertainty about whether Matonhodze had taken responsibility for actions that should have involved Mugabe. The judge noted that the severity of the sentences was somewhat mitigated by the duo’s guilty pleas and the fact that the victim, Sipho Mahlangu, had expressed a desire to withdraw his charges after receiving financial compensation from the Mugabes.
Financial Compensation and Context
Reports indicate that Mahlangu was offered 250,000 rand (£11,150) following the shooting, with an additional