South African prosecutors seek jail for Bellarmine Mugabe, stiffer term for co-accused
South African prosecutors have asked the court to sentence Bellarmine Mugabe, son of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, to two years in prison after he pleaded guilty to pointing a firearm and being in the country illegally.
The State is seeking 12 months on each count.
The firearm offence stems from an incident about two weeks before Mugabe’s security guard, Sipho Mahlangu, was shot at his Hyde Park home on 19 February.
Co-accused Tobias Matonhodze faces a far harsher outcome after pleading guilty to more serious charges.
Prosecutors are seeking:
? 5 years for attempted murder
? 12 years for possession of an illegal firearm
? 12 years for defeating the ends of justice
? A fine for unlawful possession of ammunition
? 12 months for immigration violations
If imposed consecutively, Matonhodze could face decades behind bars, with the firearm and justice-related counts alone carrying a combined 24 years.
The case now moves to sentencing, where the court will weigh mitigation, guilty pleas and the gravity of the offences.
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