By Mmangaliso Khumalo.
Bellarmine Mugabe, the son of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, and his co-accused, Tobias Matonhodze, have submitted partial guilty pleas at the Alexandra Regional Court, as their high-profile case took another turn on Friday.
The development comes after plea negotiations between the State and the defence collapsed, prompting both parties to proceed with formal court processes.
Partial guilty pleas entered
The court heard that legal representatives for the accused drafted Section 112 guilty pleas, although it remained unclear whether the State would accept them.
Mugabe pleaded guilty to pointing a firearm and contravening South Africa’s immigration laws. However, he did not admit guilt to more serious charges, including attempted murder.
Matonhodze, on the other hand, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, illegal immigration, and possession of ammunition.
The pair face a string of charges linked to a February incident at a Hyde Park home, where an employee, now identified as Sipho Mahlangu, was allegedly shot.
State raises concerns over missing firearm
During the proceedings, the State called the investigating officer, who raised concerns about the seriousness of the offences and the accused’s conduct.
The court heard that Matonhodze was allegedly undocumented in South Africa and that an illegal firearm was used in the commission of the offence.
The investigating officer further told the court that the weapon used in the shooting has not yet been recovered, and that the accused had not shown remorse in revealing its whereabouts.
Defence seeks Leniency
Advocate Laurance Hodes SC, representing the accused, requested that the court consider suspended sentences for both men, arguing that such a sentence would serve as a warning.
He also proposed that the court impose a monetary fine and order compensation to the victim as part of the sentencing conditions.
The matter was postponed to next Friday. The court is expected to assess whether the victim had been compensated and to receive further details regarding the missing firearm.
Mugabe and Matonhodze have been in custody since March after allegedly shooting an employee at their residence. They had previously abandoned their bail applications in favour of plea negotiations, which ultimately failed to produce an agreement with the State.