Mugabe’s son, co-accused mull plea negotiations in attempted murder case
The son of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe and his co-accused are considering entering into plea negotiations with the State after abandoning their bail application.
Bellarmine Mugabe and Tobias Matonhdze briefly appeared before the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where the matter was transferred to the regional court for possible plea discussions.
The pair face several charges, including attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Mugabe is also facing a charge related to alleged violations of South Africa’s immigration laws.
Their arrest stems from a shooting incident at the Mugabe residence in Hyde Park in February, where a 23-year-old gardener was allegedly shot and seriously injured.
During court proceedings, the defence confirmed that the two accused had decided to abandon their bail bid and would instead focus on dealing with the case on its merits.
Defence lawyer Sinenhlanhla Mnguni said the issue of the accused’s immigration status had been raised by the prosecution, but emphasised that it remains an allegation and has not yet been proven in court.
"It was brought to our attention by the prosecution that the status of our clients was, of course, that they were in the country illegally. But that remains a charge, it is not a conviction. At this stage it is something that still needs to be dealt with, and we will be taking instructions from our clients on how to proceed with that issue."
Mnguni said the defence opted not to pursue the bail application in order to avoid wasting the court’s time and instead explore alternative ways of resolving the matter.
"We all understand the processes with regards to applying for bail and the fact that one of the affirmations you need to make is that you are not a flight risk.
"At this point we want to deal with the matter and its merits. Everyone present in court saw that the matter was postponed for possible plea negotiations with the State so that we can deal with the matter with the seriousness that it deserves."
He explained that plea negotiations could involve discussions between the defence and prosecutors about whether the accused might plead guilty to some of the charges.
“It is still premature to say whether our clients will plead guilty to any of the charges they are facing. Negotiations involve give and take, and we still need to take proper instructions from both accused before any decision can be made."
Mnguni said several options remain open, including the possibility that the case could still proceed to trial if no agreement is reached.
"It’s still very early. There are multiple charges involved, and we need to take instructions on each one of them. It is possible that plea negotiations may happen, but if that does not materialise, the matter can proceed to trial. At this stage, we are exploring all the options available to our clients."
The magistrate ordered that the matter be transferred to Regional Court 2 for plea negotiations and postponed the case to next Tuesday.
Both accused will remain in custody until their next court appearance.
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