Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, son of the late former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, and his co-accused, Tobias Matonhodze, have officially withdrawn their bail applications. This significant shift in their defence strategy was announced during their appearance at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 11 March 2026, after previous postponements due to various technical issues, including power outages and administrative errors.

Advocate Laurance Hodes, representing both accused alongside attorney Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, informed the court that his instructions were not to proceed with the bail applications. Instead, Mugabe and Matonhodze will enter into plea negotiations with the state. The defence team has requested that the case be transferred to the regional court to facilitate these discussions with prosecutors, a move signaling an intent to seek a negotiated outcome rather than a lengthy trial.

The arrests of Mugabe and Matonhodze followed a severe shooting incident at the Mugabe residence in Hyde Park, Johannesburg, on 19 February 2026. A 23-year-old gardener was seriously injured in the attack and remains hospitalized in critical condition. The accused face a comprehensive list of charges, including attempted murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, pointing a firearm, defeating the ends of justice, and theft. Additionally, Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe faces a charge of being in South Africa illegally under the Immigration Act.

The charge of attempted murder is the primary accusation, directly related to the shooting of the gardener. Prosecutors allege the pair were in unlawful possession of the weapon used, which has reportedly not yet been recovered by police. The charge of defeating the ends of justice stems from the disappearance of this firearm and allegations of potential crime scene tampering before officers arrived. The pointing a firearm charge is linked to a separate incident originally reported at Bramley Police Station in 2023, which has now been revived and added to the current proceedings. A charge of theft has also been included in the updated charge sheet, though specific details have not been publicly disclosed.

A critical aspect of the case also involves the immigration status of both accused. Attorney Sinenhlanhla Mnguni confirmed that the State has found both Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe and Tobias Matonhodze to be in South Africa illegally. This contravention of the Immigration Act is understood to stem from a separate incident reported in February 2026. The Department of Home Affairs is expected to provide further clarity on their legal standing. If found guilty, they could face fines, imprisonment, and potential deportation as undesirable persons after serving any sentence.

Abandoning a bail application means the accused choose to remain in custody while the matter is being negotiated. Legal observers suggest this decision often indicates that the defence believes a negotiated outcome may be quicker or more favorable than a protracted trial. However, under Section 105A of South Africa’s Criminal Procedure Act, which governs plea agreements, a negotiated sentence will almost certainly involve a period of imprisonment. The court must still approve any plea agreement reached between the State and the defence. If accepted, Chatunga and Matonhodze would be sentenced immediately; if rejected, the matter would proceed to trial, with the pair remaining in custody.

The timeline of key events leading to this point includes their arrest on 19 February 2026, their first court appearance on 23 February 2026 where additional charges were added, and subsequent postponements on 3 March 2026 and 5 March 2026. The matter was then rescheduled to 11 March 2026, when the bail applications were withdrawn. The case has now been postponed to 17 March 2026, when the legal teams and the State will begin the formal plea negotiation process in the regional court. Until then, Mugabe and Matonhodze will remain behind bars as discussions explore the possibility of a plea agreement.