South Africa plans to deport Robert Mugabes son due to firearm offense

South African Magistrate Orders Deportation of Bellarmine Mugabe

A Johannesburg court has ordered the deportation of Bellarmine Mugabe, the youngest son of late Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, to Zimbabwe immediately. The magistrate’s ruling comes after Mugabe pleaded guilty to two offences earlier this month.

Mugabe was found guilty of brandishing a toy gun in a manner that created the impression it was real, as well as being in South Africa illegally. He was ordered to pay a fine of $36,000 or face a two-year prison sentence. The court also took into account Mugabe’s guilty plea and his status as a first-time offender.

Mugabe was arrested on February 19 alongside his cousin, Tobias Matonhodze, after an incident at their home in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. Matonhodze had initially been charged with attempted murder but later pleaded guilty to the charge. He was sentenced to three years in prison and will be deported to Zimbabwe after completing his sentence.

The court’s decision was made by Magistrate Renier Boshoff, who noted that the sentences were more lenient than usual due to both men’s guilty pleas and their status as first-time offenders. Mugabe’s father, Robert Mugabe, remains a significant figure in Zimbabwean history, with some viewing him as a liberation hero and others condemning him as a tyrant.

Robert Mugabe passed away in 2019 after being ousted from power in a military coup in 2017. He had four children, including Bellarmine, who is one of his sons with second wife Grace.

Source: Al Jazeera