By Nana Karikari, Senior Global Affairs Correspondent
A South African magistrate delivered a swift end to the legal troubles of Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe on Wednesday. The court ordered the immediate deportation of the youngest son of the late Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. This ruling follows a series of criminal charges and a plea agreement with South African prosecutors.
Criminal Convictions and Financial Penalties
Bellarmine Mugabe appeared before Magistrate Renier Boshoff at the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court in Johannesburg. The 29-year-old pleaded guilty to brandishing an object “likely to lead a person to believe it is a firearm” and being in South Africa illegally. The court heard that the first charge stemmed from an incident involving a toy gun rather than the live ammunition involved in separate charges.
The magistrate imposed significant financial penalties as part of the sentencing. Mugabe must pay approximately 538,000 GHS in fines. Specifically, he was handed a 400,000 rand (270,034 GHS) fine for the toy gun incident and a 200,000 rand fine (135,017 GHS) for violating immigration rules. Failure to pay these fines would result in a two-year prison sentence.
Judicial Order for Removal
Magistrate Boshoff did not grant any grace period for the former first son to settle his affairs. He ordered that Mugabe be taken by police from the courthouse directly to an international airport in Johannesburg. From there, he is to be sent back to Zimbabwe immediately. While the exact nature of his immigration violation remained undisclosed, his presence in the country was deemed unlawful.
Violent Incident at Johannesburg Mansion
The legal saga began in February when Mugabe and his cousin, Tobias Matonhodze, were arrested following a shooting. The incident occurred at a mansion in Johannesburg where Mugabe was residing. An employee at the home was shot twice in the back during the altercation.
Investigating officers informed the court that the victim received a compensation settlement of 250,000 rand. An additional payment of 150,000 rand is expected to follow. Despite the gravity of the initial charges, Mugabe pleaded guilty to lesser charges unrelated to the actual shooting through a deal with prosecutors. The missing status of the actual weapon used in the shooting remains a point of contention for local law enforcement.
Distinct Sentences for Co-Accused
The legal outcome for Mugabe’s cousin, Tobias Matonhodze, was significantly more severe. Matonhodze pleaded guilty to attempted murder over the shooting and charges of defeating the ends of justice. The court sentenced him to three years in prison.
The firearm used in the February shooting remains missing. Once Matonhodze completes his custodial sentence, he will also face deportation. “Matonhodze will be deported to Zimbabwe after he completes his prison sentence,” the magistrate ruled.
End of a Troubled South African Residency
Bellarmine Mugabe is the youngest child of Robert and Grace Mugabe. His father led Zimbabwe for 37 years and became renowned as one of Africa’s longest-serving autocrats. Robert Mugabe was eventually removed in a coup in 2017 and died two years later aged 95.
The younger Mugabe has frequently made headlines for a lavish lifestyle in South Africa. This court order effectively terminates his residency in the country. The police escort to the airport marks a definitive conclusion to his recent criminal proceedings in Johannesburg. The ruling underscores a rigorous application of South African immigration and safety statutes, signaling that the historical political stature of the Mugabe family offers no immunity from the country’s judicial mandates.
