A South African court has fined and ordered the deportation of Robert Mugabe's youngest son, Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, over unrelated charges of immigration and firearms offences. The 28-year-old pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay 600,000 rand (£26,770) in fines.
The charges stem from a separate incident in 2023 involving a toy gun, as well as violating immigration law. Mugabe’s cousin, Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze, was earlier sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder, firearms offences, and defeating the ends of justice for a shooting at the Mugabe family home in February.
Magistrate Renier Boshoff noted that the sentences were mitigated by the guilty pleas, time already served, and the victim's wish to withdraw charges after being paid 250,000 rand by the accused. He also remarked on the possibility that Matonhodze had taken the blame for Mugabe, but said he could only act on the evidence before him.
The Mugabe family has a history of legal troubles in South Africa. In 2017, Grace Mugabe avoided prosecution by invoking diplomatic immunity after being accused of assault. Mugabe's older brother Robert Junior has also been known for flaunting wealth online. Bellarmine Mugabe has faced other allegations in Zimbabwe, including assaulting a police officer and a security guard, though the status of those cases remains unclear.
