Bellarmine Mugabe and Tobias Matonhodze Drop Bail Bid, Pair Seek Plea Deal in Attempted Murder Case
- Bellarmine Mugabe and co‑accused Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze made another appearance before the Alexandra Magistrate's Court
- The pair are charged with attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, and contravention of the Immigration Act, among others
- The legal team for the accused indicated that they bother were abandoning their scheduled bail applications
Source: Twitter
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
GAUTENG - Bellarmine Mugabe and co‑accused Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze have abandoned their bail application.
The legal team for Mugabe (28) and Matonhodze (33) announced the decision during a brief appearance before the Alexandra Magistrate's Court on 11 March 2026. The case against the son of the former Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, and his co-accused has now been postponed to 17 March 2025 and transferred to the regional court.
Mugabe and Matonhodze were arrested on Thursday, 19 February 2026, at Mugabe’s Hyde Park home in Johannesburg. They were arrested following the shooting of a 23-year-old employee at the property, but the weapon used in the commission of the crime has not yet been found.
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The defendants are charged with attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, pointing a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm, and contravention of the Immigration Act.
Mugabe and Matonhodze want a plea agreement
During their brief appearance, the legal team for the accused indicated that their clients wanted to enter plea negotiations with the State.
A plea and sentence agreement allows the matter to be resolved without proceeding to a full trial. The accused agrees to plead guilty to charges in exchange for a lesser sentence. The defence did not indicate whether the pair intend to plead guilty to all charges or some of them.
Source: Briefly News
