A son of ex-Zimbabwe President Mugabe enters a plea deal to avoid attempted murder charge

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A son of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe avoided being charged with attempted murder on Friday after reaching a plea deal in which he admitted to pointing a gun and breaking immigration laws in South Africa.

Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe and his co-accused, Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze, have been detained since mid-February, facing attempted murder charges following the shooting of Sipho Mahlangu, whom the police identified as an employee at the home. He was hospitalized for his injuries.

Mugabe, 28, pleaded guilty to “the offense of pointing anything which is likely to lead a person to believe it is a firearm” in a separate incident and to illegally entering and staying in South Africa. He is the youngest son of the former leader of Zimbabwe, who died in 2019, and Grace Mugabe, his second wife.

Matonhodze pleaded guilty to five charges, including attempted murder, possession of an unlawful firearm and ammunition, defeating ends of justice and illegal immigration.

The pair’s legal representative, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, told reporters outside court that the state and the defense had entered into a Section 112 plea deal after initial plea and sentence negotiations collapsed. Under South Africa's Criminal Procedure Act, this kind of deal avoids a full trial.

Defense lawyer Advocate Laurence Hodes argued for mercy in sentencing, pointing out that both Mugabe and Matonhodze, who are cousins, had no prior convictions, had compensated their victim financially, and were able to pay any fine imposed by the court.

However, a police investigator brought in as a witness told the court that the police were still looking for the gun used in the incident and that the accused, who "were there at that time when the firearm was fired and injured the victim,” were not assisting them.

“The accused shows no remorse in assisting the police in any way to point out the firearm. They know where the firearm is," Lt. Col. Raj Ramchunder told the court.

The court accepted the guilty pleas and set the sentencing for April 24.

In 2017, Grace Mugabe allegedly attacked Gabriella Engels, a young model, with an extension cord that cut her forehead at a Johannesburg hotel. The government awarded her diplomatic immunity, which was strongly criticized by opposition parties and human rights organizations, allowing her to depart South Africa despite calls for her prosecution.