Johannesburg, South Africa — The youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former president, Robert Mugabe, has been formally charged with attempted murder following a shooting incident in South Africa.
Bellarmine Mugabe, 28, appeared briefly before a Johannesburg court after his arrest last week. Prosecutors allege that a 23-year-old man was shot and seriously injured at a property in the upscale Hyde Park suburb.
Bellarmine was taken into custody alongside his bodyguard, Tobias Tamirepi Matonhodze, 33. Both men also face additional charges, including defeating the ends of justice in relation to a missing firearm.
According to South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority, an altercation allegedly broke out inside Mugabe’s home before the victim attempted to flee. Prosecutors claim the man was shot in the back and collapsed outside the gate. Police reportedly recovered spent cartridges at the scene but have not found the firearm used in the incident.
The victim remains in hospital in critical condition. Mugabe’s lawyer, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, told reporters that his client is “fine” while in custody. The case has been postponed until 3 March, when a formal bail application is expected to be heard.
