Bellarmine Mugabe, the youngest son of the late former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe and co-accused Tobias Matonhodze are expected to be sentenced next week in connection with a shooting at their Hyde Park residence in February.
The duo appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 24 April 2026. They pleaded guilty to several charges, including attempted murder.
The matter was postponed to 29 April 2025 for sentencing.
Payment to victim
During their brief appearance, the court heard that the victim in the shooting incident is to be paid R400 000.
According to the investigating officer, R250 000 has already been paid to him, while another R150 000 remains unpaid.
The court will decide whether the two will receive jail time or a lighter sentence.
Sentence
The State has requested for Bellarmine be sentenced to 12 months’ direct imprisonment for pointing a firearm and twelve months for Contravention of the country’s laws (illegal documents)
For Tobias, the state wants five years of direct imprisonment for attempted murder, twelve years for firearm
Guilty plea
The pair are accused of attempted murder after an employee at their Johannesburg home sustained a non-fatal gunshot wound.
Mugabe had previously pleaded guilty to contravening the Firearms Act by pointing a firearm at the victim, as well as the Immigration Act for being in South Africa illegally.
Matonhodze (33) pleaded guilty to his attempted murder charge, as well as defeating the ends of justice, possession of an illegal firearm and contravention of the Immigration Act.
Argument for leniency
During last week’s court proceedings, the 28-year-old Mugabe’s defence counsel stated that he and Matonhodze had since compensated their victim and had offered further assistance.
In arguing for a lenient sentence, Advocate Laurance Hodes, representing both men, argued for a non-custodial sentence, noting they had already spent months in custody.
He told the court that Mahlangu had been compensated and that the accused were prepared to cover deportation costs.
“Should this court order further reparations, both of the accused would be in a position to honour such an order. Similarly, should this court be inclined to impose a fine, both accused are in a position to pay.”
Hodes added that an appropriate sentence would be a suspended sentence, which would hang over their heads as a warning not to reoffend.
Arrest
Mugabe and Matonhodze were first arrested on 19 February following the shooting of a 23-year-old man believed to be working as a gardener at the property.
Investigators have yet to find the weapon used in the shooting, with the pair being accused of hiding the firearm from authorities.
