Mugabe's son fined R400,000, deported from South Africa

A South African court has fined Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe and ordered his deportation after he pleaded guilty to immigration violations and pointing a toy gun in a separate incident.

Mugabe, the youngest son of former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe, appeared before the Alexandra Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg on Wednesday alongside co-accused Tobias Matonhodze.

The court imposed a fine of 400,000 rand (about US$24,000) on Mugabe for pointing a toy gun, as well as an additional 200,000 rand for breaching South Africa's immigration laws. He is expected to be deported following the outcome of the case.

Authorities did not immediately clarify the specific nature of the immigration violations.

Mugabe had been in custody since his arrest in February and entered a guilty plea as part of an agreement with prosecutors.

Matonhodze, who faced more serious charges, pleaded guilty to attempted murder in connection with a shooting incident at a Johannesburg mansion where Mugabe was staying.

He was sentenced to three years in prison and will also be deported after serving his term.

The court heard that the victim, a security guard, was shot during the incident and has since received partial compensation of 250,000 rand, with a further 150,000 rand still outstanding.

Investigators told the court that the firearm used in the shooting has not yet been recovered, raising concerns about unresolved aspects of the case.

The case has drawn regional attention due to Mugabe's family ties. His father, Robert Mugabe, ruled Zimbabwe for nearly four decades after independence in 1980 before being removed from power in 2017. He died in 2019 at the age of 95.

While Bellarmine Mugabe's conviction relates partly to a separate incident involving a toy gun, the broader case has been linked to the violent shooting episode that led to the arrest of both men earlier this year.