Former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugube’s son, Bellarmine Mugabe, and his co-accused, Tobias Matonhodze, abandoned their bid for bail when they appeared briefly before the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
During the short appearance, the pair informed the court that they intended to enter into plea negotiations with the state.
Their decision follows the state’s discovery that both accused are allegedly in South Africa illegally.
Their legal representative, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, said the issue regarding their immigration status had been brought to the defence’s attention by the prosecution.
“It was brought to our attention by the prosecution that the status of our clients was that they were in the country illegally.
“We do not want to waste the court’s time because we understand the processes with regard to applying for bail and one of them is that you are not a flight risk, so at this point we want to deal with this matter with the seriousness that it deserves,” said Mnguni.
Immigration status derails bail bid
Mnguni indicated that, in light of these developments, pursuing bail at this stage would not be appropriate.
Instead, the defence intends to focus on engaging the prosecution in discussions that may resolve aspects of the case.
However, he emphasised that it was still too early to determine whether the accused would plead guilty to any of the charges they face.
“It is still too early; we have not taken clear instructions from our clients. Negotiations as you may know are a give-and-take, but whether we plead guilty to anything at this stage would be premature. Remember, there are two accused in the matter, so we need to consult both of them,” he added.
The matter has been postponed to March 17, 2026.
Mugabe and Matonhodze have been in police custody since February following a shooting incident at the Mugabe residence in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. This is where a 23-year-old gardener was shot and wounded during the incident.
The case has already been postponed twice in previous court appearances due to power outages at the court.
The two accused now face a range of charges, including attempted murder, obstructing the course of justice, pointing a firearm, and violating South Africa’s immigration laws.
READ MORE: Court proceedings halted as power outage delays Mugabe son’s case
