Chatunga Mugabe (son of the late Robert Mugabe) and his co-accused/cousin Tobias Matonhodze have appeared in court today:
- Both accused entered guilty pleas in court this morning.
- Bellarmine Mugabe pleaded guilty to:
- Pointing a firearm (this relates to a separate case, not the Hyde Park incident in question).
- Contravening South Africa’s immigration laws (i.e. being in the country illegally).
- Tobias Matonhodze pleaded guilty to:
- Attempted murder
- Defeating the ends of justice
- Illegal immigration
- Possession of ammunition
- Defence advocate Laurence Hodes SC argued mitigating factors for sentencing.
- He asked the court for non-custodial sentences (no jail time) for both, including:
- Suspended sentences (as a warning)
- Monetary fines
- Compensation to the victim
- Mugabe’s side offered to pay for his own deportation back to Zimbabwe.
- The State called the investigating officer (Col Raj), who highlighted:
- No remorse shown (especially regarding the missing firearm).
- The firearm used in the offence has not been recovered.
- The magistrate postponed the matter to 24 April 2026 for:
- Confirmation of whether the victim (now identified in reports as Sipho Mahlangu) has been compensated.
- Further details on the missing firearm.
No sentence has been handed down yet. The case is still ongoing, with sentencing arguments and final outcome expected in one week’s time.
