Mugabe Shooting Scandal: Chatunga Pays R250k Hush Money to Victim After Pleading Guilty in South African Court
Compiled by: Sona Headlines (Crime Desk) | Source: Alexandra Magistrate's Court Records
R250,000 in cash and a promise of R150,000 more — that is what the youngest son of the late former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe and his cousin allegedly paid the man they shot so he would keep his mouth shut.
While Chatunga Mugabe avoided the attempted murder charge by pleading guilty only to pointing a firearm and immigration violations, his cousin Tobias Matonhodze took the heavier fall. The sentencing has now been postponed to Wednesday next week.
Inside The Court Proceedings
The Alexandra Magistrate's Court heard startling details regarding financial arrangements made with the victim, 23-year-old Sipho Mahlangu.
Confirmed Payout
Investigating officer Colonel Raj Ramchunder told the court that Mahlangu was offered R400,000 in total. "He was paid R250,000, and on the same day, a promise that a further R150,000 would be paid to him in cash," Ramchunder stated, noting that Mahlangu had confirmed receiving the money.
State Distances Itself
Colonel Ramchunder actively distanced himself from this out-of-court financial arrangement and urged the court to impose a harsh sentence despite the compensation paid to the victim.
On 17 April 2026, the pair entered a Section 112 plea agreement that avoided a full trial, establishing a clear division of legal responsibility.
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe (28)
Mugabe avoided the attempted murder charge. Instead, he pleaded guilty to pointing a firearm at Mahlangu and to being in South Africa illegally (contravening immigration laws). They also face charges linked to a separate incident involving a toy gun.
Tobias Matonhodze (33)
The cousin took the heavier fall, pleading guilty to attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and contravening the Immigration Act.
The court proceedings featured a sharp clash between the defence's plea for mercy and the investigating officer's demand for strict justice.
The Defence's Argument
Advocate Laurance Hodes asked the court not to send them to prison, arguing a suspended sentence would suffice since they are first-time offenders who have already spent months behind bars. "Should this court be inclined to impose a fine, both accused are in a position to pay," Hodes stated, adding they are willing to cover their own deportation costs back to Zimbabwe.
The State's Pushback & The Missing Gun
Colonel Ramchunder painted a different picture. He revealed neither man cooperated in finding the firearm, which remains unrecovered. "The accused show no remorse assisting the police in any way to point out where the firearm is," he argued, noting a tracking team is on standby if they change their minds.
The case dates back to a shooting on 19 February 2026 at the luxurious Hyde Park residence.
A History of Controversy in SA
It is not the first time the Mugabe name has landed in a South African courtroom. In 2017, Chatunga's mother, former first lady Grace Mugabe, was accused of attacking a young model with an extension cord at a Johannesburg hotel before claiming diplomatic immunity. Furthermore, his older brother, Robert Mugabe Jnr, appeared in a Harare court last year on a drug possession charge.
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| Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe |
Awaiting Judgment
With the guilty pleas entered and the financial compensation confirmed, the focus now shifts entirely to the Alexandra Magistrate's Court for final sentencing next Wednesday. The magistrate must weigh the victim’s injuries, the unrecovered firearm, the hush money paid, and the immigration status of the accused. The judgment will bring closure to a high-profile case that has deeply fascinated the public due to its ties to Zimbabwe's former first family.
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