Chatunga Mugabe Arrested in South Africa Over Attempted Murder Allegation

The Post Senior Reporter

The son of Zimbabwe’s late former president Robert Mugabe, Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, is once again at the centre of controversy following a shooting incident at his residence in Hyde Park, an affluent suburb of Johannesburg.

South African police confirmed that Chatunga Mugabe, 29, was arrested on Thursday in connection with an alleged shooting that left a 23-year-old employee hospitalised and fighting for his life.

According to Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, the incident occurred after what authorities describe as a disagreement between Mugabe and the gardener employed at the property. The altercation allegedly escalated, resulting in the employee being shot before being rushed to hospital.

Police units, including members of the K9 division, Bramley detectives and forensic crime scene investigators, were deployed to the Hyde Park residence to secure the scene and gather evidence.

“Two men, aged 28 and 33, were taken in for questioning, including Mugabe, who was formally arrested in connection with the incident,” Nevhuhulwi said. Authorities indicated that investigations are ongoing and that the motive behind the shooting remains unclear at this stage.

Relatives of the former First Family reportedly rushed to the police station where Mugabe and his aide were being held, seeking clarity on the circumstances surrounding the incident. By Thursday evening, police had indicated that a charge of attempted murder was being pursued, pending further investigation.

The property where the incident allegedly occurred has long been associated with the Mugabe family, who have spent extended periods in South Africa since Robert Mugabe’s dramatic removal from office in November 2017. The former president, who ruled Zimbabwe for nearly four decades, died in 2019.

This latest development adds to a string of legal controversies involving members of the Mugabe family in both Zimbabwe and South Africa.

In 2018, the South Gauteng High Court overturned a decision by South Africa’s Department of International Relations to grant diplomatic immunity to former First Lady Grace Mugabe, following allegations that she assaulted South African model Gabriella Engels at a Sandton hotel in 2017.

That ruling was widely viewed as a rebuke of attempts to shield politically connected figures from accountability.

Now, with Chatunga Mugabe facing attempted murder allegations, attention has once again turned to the conduct of Zimbabwe’s former ruling family outside the country’s borders. Legal analysts note that South Africa’s justice system has in recent years demonstrated a willingness to pursue high-profile cases irrespective of political sensitivities.

As investigations continue, authorities are expected to provide further updates on formal charges and court proceedings. Meanwhile, the condition of the injured employee remains a critical factor in determining the legal trajectory of the case.

According to source, Mugabe is expected to appear in court soon on the aforementioned charge. The weapon used in the shooting hasn’t been found.

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