South African authorities have apprehended Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former president Robert Mugabe, following a shooting incident at his upscale residence north of Johannesburg. The arrest occurred on Thursday after police responded to reports of violence involving a domestic employee.
According to law enforcement officials, two individuals are currently in custody facing serious charges of attempted murder. While police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the detentions without identifying the suspects, multiple South African media outlets independently verified that the 29-year-old Mugabe scion was among those arrested. Photographic evidence circulated on social media platforms, including IOL News X, depicted Mugabe in handcuffs accompanied by police personnel.
The victim, identified as a gardener employed at the property, sustained critical injuries during the altercation and remains in grave condition at an undisclosed medical facility. Investigators have indicated that the precise motivation behind the shooting remains undetermined, with official inquiries actively ongoing.
This incident highlights the continued controversial presence of the Mugabe family in South Africa. Bellarmine and his elder brother Robert Jr., both sons from Robert Mugabe’s marriage to Grace Mugabe, maintain residences in Johannesburg where they have developed reputations for extravagant lifestyles and social misconduct. The family has faced multiple legal challenges in recent years, including assault allegations against Grace Mugabe—nicknamed ‘Gucci Grace’ for her opulent spending habits—who was accused of physically attacking both employees and models in separate incidents. Robert Jr. concurrently faces narcotics charges in Zimbabwean courts for alleged cannabis possession, which he continues to dispute.