The defence in the case involving the son of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, Bellarmine Mugabe, and his cousin Tobius Mathondzhe-Mugabe, has asked the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court to postpone the matter to allow time for plea negotiations.
The two are facing several charges, including attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and contravening immigration laws, among others. Advocate Laurence Hodes told the court that the defence is abandoning the bail application as they intend to negotiate with the state.
“Your Lordship, the instruction is not to proceed with the bail application,” Hodes told the court.
“And to transfer the matter back to the regional court for plea negotiations.”
The state prosecutor indicated agreement with the request.
The case has already faced several delays, first due to the late submission of forensic evidence by the state and more recently because of power outages at the court.
The repeated postponements have also drawn criticism from the Democratic Alliance.
DA Member of Parliament Glynis Breytenbach says she plans to urgently raise concerns with the Minister of Justice following yet another delay.
“This court has been here for three decades. It’s where the people of Alexandra come to access justice — they have nowhere else to go,” Breytenbach said.
“These conditions are unacceptable; no South African should be subjected to this. There is no dignity in this.”
She added that the court’s generator has reportedly been nonfunctional for 16 years and said the problem requires urgent intervention.
“We will certainly be raising it with the minister on an urgent basis,” she said.
“When I return to Cape Town, I will discuss it with our Portfolio Committee chairperson. This isn’t the only court with a generator that has no fuel, so the courts cannot keep postponing cases for weeks.”
Newsnote understands that Mugabe is in the country illegally.
Meanwhile, Tobius Mathondzhe-Mugabe appeared irritated by media attention in court, asking photographers whether he should pose because they were using “old photos.”
The matter has been postponed to the 17th of March for plea negotiations.
