The youngest son of Zimbabwe's late former leader Robert Mugabe has pleaded guilty to pointing a firearm and illegally being in South Africa.
Bellarmine Mugabe entered guilty pleas to the two charges after he was arrested in February following the shooting of a 23-year-old man at his home in Johannesburg.
The 28-year-old has been held in custody alongside co-accused Tobias Matonhodze and appeared at the court in Alexandra on Friday. Lawyers for the men told the court they were prepared to return to their native Zimbabwe at their own expense if they do not receive a custodial sentence.
Matonhodze, 33, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, illegal immigration, and possession of ammunition.
Mugabe, who was also previously charged with attempted murder, spoke only to confirm that he understood the charges and to enter his pleas. The charge of pointing a gun relates to a separate, unrelated incident, but Mugabe agreed to have the two cases heard together, according to Magaboke Mohlatlole, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
It wasn't initially clear who had shot the 23-year-old man, but after Matonhodze admitted it was him, the charges of attempted murder against Mugabe were dropped.
Both men were arrested on February 19 after police were called to Mugabe's home in the upmarket Johannesburg suburb of Hyde Park, where a man, believed to be a security guard, was taken to hospital in critical condition after being shot.
Prosecutors previously indicated that the shooting followed a dispute between the men inside the property, with the victim allegedly being shot twice in the back as he tried to flee outside. Authorities have not yet found the gun used in the incident.
Sentencing proceedings have been postponed to April 24, the NPA added. Since Mugabe's arrest, the case has faced several delays, with his bail hearing postponed twice.
This incident is not Mugabe's first run-in with the law; in 2024, he was arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer at the Zimbabwean border town of Beitbridge. After being granted bail, a warrant for his arrest was issued when he failed to appear in court. In June of the same year, he faced additional legal issues for allegedly assaulting a security guard at a mining site, an ongoing case.
Bellarmine Mugabe is one of two sons Robert Mugabe had with his second wife, Grace. The late president was in power for 37 years before being ousted in a 2017 coup.
Bellarmine Mugabe entered guilty pleas to the two charges after he was arrested in February following the shooting of a 23-year-old man at his home in Johannesburg.
The 28-year-old has been held in custody alongside co-accused Tobias Matonhodze and appeared at the court in Alexandra on Friday. Lawyers for the men told the court they were prepared to return to their native Zimbabwe at their own expense if they do not receive a custodial sentence.
Matonhodze, 33, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, illegal immigration, and possession of ammunition.
Mugabe, who was also previously charged with attempted murder, spoke only to confirm that he understood the charges and to enter his pleas. The charge of pointing a gun relates to a separate, unrelated incident, but Mugabe agreed to have the two cases heard together, according to Magaboke Mohlatlole, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
It wasn't initially clear who had shot the 23-year-old man, but after Matonhodze admitted it was him, the charges of attempted murder against Mugabe were dropped.
Both men were arrested on February 19 after police were called to Mugabe's home in the upmarket Johannesburg suburb of Hyde Park, where a man, believed to be a security guard, was taken to hospital in critical condition after being shot.
Prosecutors previously indicated that the shooting followed a dispute between the men inside the property, with the victim allegedly being shot twice in the back as he tried to flee outside. Authorities have not yet found the gun used in the incident.
Sentencing proceedings have been postponed to April 24, the NPA added. Since Mugabe's arrest, the case has faced several delays, with his bail hearing postponed twice.
This incident is not Mugabe's first run-in with the law; in 2024, he was arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer at the Zimbabwean border town of Beitbridge. After being granted bail, a warrant for his arrest was issued when he failed to appear in court. In June of the same year, he faced additional legal issues for allegedly assaulting a security guard at a mining site, an ongoing case.
Bellarmine Mugabe is one of two sons Robert Mugabe had with his second wife, Grace. The late president was in power for 37 years before being ousted in a 2017 coup.
