The youngest son of former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe pleaded guilty on Friday to pointing a gun and staying illegally in South Africa, but denied shooting and seriously injuring his gardener following an altercation.
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, 29, was in custody along with his cousin and co-accused, Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze, for attempted murder following the incident in the upscale Hyde Park area of Johannesburg.
Mugabe pleaded guilty to illegally staying in South Africa and brandishing a firearm in a separate incident, while Matonhodze pleaded guilty to attempted murder.
Matonhodze, 32, also admitted to violating immigration and firearms laws.
"We initially entered into discussions with the prosecution with the aim of reaching a plea and sentence agreement, but these discussions failed at the last minute," said Mugabe's lawyer, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni.
He dismissed suggestions that Matonhodze had taken responsibility in place of Mugabe, calling the allegations "utterly ridiculous".
The firearm used in the shooting has not been recovered since the two men were arrested on February 19.
The case was adjourned until April 24th.
Bellarmine is one of the two sons Robert Mugabe had with his second wife, Grace. The two brothers sometimes lived in Johannesburg, where they acquired a reputation as partygoers living the high life.
Mugabe, who died in 2019, was in power for 37 years before being overthrown in a coup in 2017.
