Mugabe's son arrested in South Africa after shooting wounds gardener

Mugabe's son arrested in South Africa shooting

Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe, has been arrested in South Africa following a shooting at his home. Police say a gardener was critically wounded in the incident.

South African police confirmed two men were arrested and will face charges of attempted murder. The victim, an employee at the house, sustained a single gunshot wound.

Suspects uncooperative with police

Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the suspects were uncooperative when officers arrived. Police have not recovered the firearm used in the shooting and could not immediately say who fired the weapon.

"They have not told us where the gun is," Nevhuhulwi said. "We cannot definitely say who shot." The motive for the shooting is currently unknown.

Photographs published by local media showed the 29-year-old Mugabe in handcuffs being escorted by police. The shooting occurred at his home in an affluent Johannesburg suburb.

Legal representation and family history

Ashley Mugiya, a Zimbabwe-based lawyer for the Mugabe family, confirmed Bellarmine was one of the men detained. Mugiya said lawyers in South Africa would represent him in the case.

Bellarmine is a son of the late Robert Mugabe and his second wife, Grace Mugabe. The former president, who ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years, was ousted in a 2017 military takeover and died in 2019.

Bellarmine and his older brother, Robert Mugabe Jr., sometimes live in Johannesburg. The Mugabe family has been involved in several legal issues in recent years.

• In 2023, Robert Mugabe Jr. was fined $300 in Zimbabwe after admitting to marijuana possession.
• In 2017, Grace Mugabe was accused of assaulting a model with an electrical cord at a Johannesburg hotel. She was later granted diplomatic immunity.

Ongoing police investigation

South African police did not formally name the arrested men, which is standard procedure before a court appearance. The national broadcaster SABC reported the incident occurred at the younger Mugabe's residence.

Colonel Nevhuhulwi stated that police investigations are ongoing. The condition of the wounded gardener remains critical.