Chatunga Spends Weekend In Police Cells
By Crime and Courts Reporter-Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of former president Robert Mugabe, is set to appear in court on Monday alongside his co-accused.
The two men will appear at the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court in Johannesburg following their arrest over the alleged shooting of a 23-year-old gardener at the Mugabe family’s Hyde Park home on Thursday.
They are facing attempted murder charges, while police continue to search for the firearm believed to have been used in the incident.
It’s alleged that the gardener, who remains in a critical condition in hospital, was shot during a dispute at the property.
Mugabe’s lawyer, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, said they are waiting for the police investigation to be finalised and are unable to comment further at this stage.
Meanwhile, Knowledge Mbewe, a Harare resident, told eNCA that if Bellarmine is found to have done wrong, he should face jail time. He said:
“He is a businessman, maybe he was attacked first by the security guard who wanted to rob him using a gun.
“In South Africa, guns are available everywhere, unregistered and registered.
“I’m not defending him, but if he shot someone because he wanted to protect himself, it’s alright. But if he was wrong, he should be jailed.”
Precious Shumba, a Zimbabwean social commentator, said the issue with Mugabe’s sons is that they appear to believe they can act with impunity. Said Shumba:
“But this is South Africa we are talking about; they have laws, and they still value the dignity of people.
“When you are looking at his body language and the general utterances they write on social media, it shows they have failed to come down and integrate into society.
“They still think they have privileges and that they are above the law.”
Mugabe family lawyer Ashel Mugiya told eNCA that the family is aware of the arrest but has declined to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings i
n South Africa. Said Mugiya:
“I don’t practice in South Africa myself. There are determined jurisdictions. We, Zimbabwean lawyers, are confined to Zimbabwe.
“South African lawyers are confined to South Africa. In terms of any developments on that issue, I think South African lawyers will be the best to comment.”
