A South African court has ordered the deportation of Bellarmine Mugabe following his implication in an attempted murder case involving a gardener in Johannesburg.
The ruling was delivered on Wednesday by the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court, where Mugabe, 28, has been in custody since mid-February alongside his cousin, Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze, over charges linked to a violent altercation at a property in the Hyde Park area of Johannesburg.
The case followed the collapse of a plea agreement, during which Mugabe admitted to being illegally in South Africa and acknowledged pointing a toy gun in a separate incident. His cousin, Matonhodze, 32, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and other related charges.
The court imposed a fine of 600,000 rand ($36,000) on Mugabe on two counts, or 24 months’ imprisonment in default, and ordered his immediate deportation. He is to be escorted by police to OR Tambo International Airport.
Magistrate Reiner Boshoff told him: “You can count yourself very lucky that the complainant in your case was not injured,” while also questioning whether Matonhodze had “taken the rap” for his cousin in the gardener-related case.
Matonhodze received concurrent prison terms of up to three years, which the court described as “merciful”, noting that the complainant had been compensated. He will also be deported after serving his sentence.
Investigators told the court the injured gardener received 250,000 rand ($15,000) in cash, with a further 150,000 rand ($9,000) promised. The firearm allegedly used in the shooting has not been recovered since the pair were arrested on February 19.
Bellarmine Mugabe, son of late Robert Mugabe has spent time in Johannesburg, where he has at times attracted public attention over his conduct and lifestyle.
