(FILES) The second son to the late former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, Bellarmine Mugabe, sit in a military helicopter next to his mother Grace (R) accompanying the casket with remains of Mugabe as they leave the Blue Roof mansion on September 12, 2019 for public viewing, to the Rufaro Stadium in Harare. The youngest son of former Zimbabwean ruler Robert Mugabe was in police custody after a gardener was shot at his South Africa home on Thursday, media reported. Police said they were investigating a case of attempted murder after the shooting in a wealthy suburb north of Johannesburg and had taken two men in for questioning. A police spokeswoman declined to identify the men but several South African media outlets reported that one of them was Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe. (Photo by ZINYANGE AUNTONY / AFP)
The son of the late former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and another suspect are expected to apply for bail during their first court appearance.
Bellarmine “Chatunga” Mugabe and another man, reported to be his bodyguard, are expected to appear in the Alexandra Magistrates Court on Monday morning after spending the week behind bars.
Shooting
The duo were arrested following the shooting of a 23-year-old gardener at Mugabe’s Hyde Park home, north of Johannesburg, last week.
Police said preliminary investigations suggested a labour dispute between the gardener and one of the suspects may have led to the incident.
It was initially reported that Mugabe barricaded himself in his room after the shooting, but later cooperated with police.
Missing gun
While a cartridge was found on the scene, police were not able to find the gun used in the crime. The house remained under lockdown since the incident, and searches for the firearm have so far drawn a blank.
It is believed that Mugabe told police that the person shot was not a gardener but a security guard, and the man had shot himself.
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Dispute
Mugabe further alleged that the dispute was because he had fired the guard for performing traditional rituals on the property.
He alleged the gun is missing because the guard came with accomplices, who were waiting outside the gate and took the firearm when the man was rushed to hospital. Police reportedly believe it may have been tampered with by Mugabe’s friends, who arrived first at the scene.
Fugitive mom
While Mugabe’s mother is reportedly pushing to get him out of custody and back to Zimbabwe, she can’t come to SA herself because she is a fugitive.
Grace has an arrest warrant out after she allegedly assaulted a 20-year-old woman with an extension cord in 2017, when she found the model in a hotel room with her two sons, Robert Jnr and Chatunga.
Additional reporting by Kyle Zeeman
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