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Chatunga Mugabe case delayed again
13 hrs ago |
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The son of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, and his co-accused Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze will remain in custody after their case was postponed once again by the Alexandra Magistrate's Court.
The pair appeared in court on Tuesday morning, where proceedings were delayed after the State indicated that plea agreement negotiations had not yet been finalised.
According to prosecutors, there is still no agreement between the State and the defence, with reports suggesting dissatisfaction over the terms proposed by the defence team.
The matter has now been postponed to April 17 to allow for further investigations and continued negotiations. Both accused will remain behind bars.
The case has experienced several delays since it began. The latest postponement follows an earlier disruption caused by a power outage, while previous adjournments were granted to allow time for plea discussions.
Last week, the accused abandoned their bail applications, indicating a preference to resolve the matter through a plea agreement.
Defence lawyer Sinenhlanhla Mnguni previously told the court that negotiations were at an advanced stage but could not be concluded due to the unavailability of a senior prosecutor.
"We placed on record what transpired in negotiations between the State and the defence. The discussions are at an advanced stage," Mnguni said.
State prosecutor Lufuno Maphiri confirmed that the agreement is still awaiting input from a senior public prosecutor who has been unavailable due to other commitments.
The two accused face a raft of serious charges, including attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, defeating the ends of justice, theft, pointing a firearm, and violations of immigration laws.
They are accused of shooting a 23-year-old employee at Mugabe's Hyde Park residence in February, leaving the victim critically injured. Authorities say the firearm allegedly used in the incident has not yet been recovered.
The case is expected to resume in mid-April as both sides work toward finalising a plea agreement.
The pair appeared in court on Tuesday morning, where proceedings were delayed after the State indicated that plea agreement negotiations had not yet been finalised.
According to prosecutors, there is still no agreement between the State and the defence, with reports suggesting dissatisfaction over the terms proposed by the defence team.
The matter has now been postponed to April 17 to allow for further investigations and continued negotiations. Both accused will remain behind bars.
The case has experienced several delays since it began. The latest postponement follows an earlier disruption caused by a power outage, while previous adjournments were granted to allow time for plea discussions.
Last week, the accused abandoned their bail applications, indicating a preference to resolve the matter through a plea agreement.
"We placed on record what transpired in negotiations between the State and the defence. The discussions are at an advanced stage," Mnguni said.
State prosecutor Lufuno Maphiri confirmed that the agreement is still awaiting input from a senior public prosecutor who has been unavailable due to other commitments.
The two accused face a raft of serious charges, including attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, defeating the ends of justice, theft, pointing a firearm, and violations of immigration laws.
They are accused of shooting a 23-year-old employee at Mugabe's Hyde Park residence in February, leaving the victim critically injured. Authorities say the firearm allegedly used in the incident has not yet been recovered.
The case is expected to resume in mid-April as both sides work toward finalising a plea agreement.
Source - IOL
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