Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of the late Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, has escaped a custodial sentence after the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court imposed fines totalling R600,000 for pointing a toy gun and violating South Africa’s Immigration Act.
Mugabe was sentenced to a fine of R400,000 or 24 months’ imprisonment for the toy-gun offence, and an additional R200,000 or 18 months’ imprisonment for being in the country illegally. He is expected to pay the fines and will be escorted by an investigating officer to OR Tambo International Airport for immediate deportation to Zimbabwe at his own expense.
His cousin and co-accused, Tobias Matonhodze, received a far harsher outcome and will serve an effective three-year prison term. Matonhodze was sentenced to 12 months for one charge, a further 12 months for defeating the ends of justice, three years for possession of a firearm, and 12 months for illegal immigration. The sentences will run concurrently.
Both men pleaded guilty to all charges relating to an incident at Mugabe’s Hyde Park home in Johannesburg earlier this year.Delivering sentence, Magistrate Renier Boshoff noted the unusual nature of the case. He said the accused had admitted guilt in circumstances where the victim had not cooperated with investigators, making a conviction highly unlikely without the plea deal.
The development comes after Mugabe abandoned his bid for bail in the related shooting case. The matter has drawn widespread attention because of the high-profile names involved and questions over the final outcome for the main firearm charge.
Mugabe and Matonhodze are understood to have been first-time offenders, a factor that was taken into account by the court.