Bellarmine Mugabe, son of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, and his co-accused Tobias Matonhodze have pleaded guilty to a series of charges during their appearance at the Alexandra Regional Court.The pair entered their pleas following the signing of Section 112 statements, formally admitting to the offences brought against them.
Matonhodze pleaded guilty to attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, and contravening South Africa’s immigration laws. Mugabe, meanwhile, pleaded guilty to pointing a firearm and breaching immigration regulations.The charges stem from a shooting incident that took place in February at Mugabe’s Hyde Park residence. During the incident, a 23-year-old employee, now identified as Sipho Mahlangu, was shot and left in critical condition. The firearm allegedly used in the shooting has not yet been recovered, which remains a key concern in the case.This was not the pair’s first court appearance. Following their arrest shortly after the February incident, Mugabe and Matonhodze made an initial appearance in court where the matter was postponed to allow for further investigation and plea negotiations. Three weeks ago, the case was again postponed to April 17 after the State indicated that plea agreements had not yet been finalised.
At Friday’s hearing, the court was informed of the guilty pleas, marking a significant development in the matter. However, the case has been postponed once more, this time to April 24. The postponement will allow the court to establish whether the victim has been compensated and to obtain further details regarding the whereabouts of the firearm used in the shooting.
Proceedings on Friday were focused on confirming the pleas and outlining the next steps, with no sentencing handed down yet. Both Mugabe and Matonhodze remain central to the ongoing legal process as the court prepares to address outstanding issues before moving forward.
The matter is expected to resume on April 24, when further clarity is anticipated on both the victim’s status and unresolved evidentiary aspects of the case.
