Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former President Robert Mugabe, has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting his 23-year-old gardener at his Hyde Park residence in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The incident occurred on February 19, 2026, and Mugabe, 28, was arrested along with a 33-year-old man, Tobias Mutonje. The victim, who was shot in the back, is in critical condition in hospital.
According to police, the shooting was sparked by an altercation over the gardener’s absence from work. A spent cartridge was recovered, but the firearm used in the shooting remains missing, prompting a search by police dog units.
Mugabe and Mutonje face additional charges of defeating the ends of justice and are expected to appear in court again on March 3 for a bail hearing.
Mugabe’s family has reportedly claimed that the gardener shot himself, but police are skeptical of this version of events.
This is not the first time Mugabe has been in trouble with the law; he was previously arrested in Zimbabwe for disorderly conduct and assault.
