Mugabe's son withdraws bail bid in Johannesburg shooting case

Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe and his co-accused Tobias Matonhodze have withdrawn their bail application in a case involving the alleged shooting of a gardener at the Mugabe family residence in Hyde Park, Johannesburg.

The matter has now been transferred to the regional court for possible plea negotiations.

The two appeared on Wednesday before the Alexandra Magistrate's Court where they formally abandoned their request for bail. They face charges of attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, unlawful possession of a firearm and violating immigration laws.

The charges stem from an incident earlier in February at the Mugabe family home in Hyde Park, Johannesburg, where the pair are accused of shooting a 23-year-old gardener.

Their lawyer, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, told the court that applying for bail requires the accused to demonstrate that they are unlikely to flee.

Mnguni said the defence had opted to withdraw the application in order to focus on addressing the merits of the case itself.

He added that the matter had been postponed to allow potential plea negotiations with the prosecution and to ensure the case is handled with the seriousness it deserves.

Responding to claims by the State that Mugabe and Matonhodze might be in the country illegally, Mnguni said the allegation had not yet been proven in court.

He noted that the issue remains unresolved but acknowledged that such claims could complicate bail considerations. The defence, he said, will seek further instructions on the matter once it has been fully addressed in court.

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