Overview
- At the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on 11 March, the defence abandoned plans for bail and asked that the matter move to the regional court for plea negotiations, with a return date set for 17 March.
- Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe and co‑accused Tobias Matonhodze will remain in custody while plea discussions proceed.
- The prosecution told the court the pair are allegedly in South Africa illegally, a contention the defence said would undermine any bail application.
- The accused face charges including attempted murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, pointing a firearm, defeating the ends of justice, theft, and contravening the Immigration Act, with reports that some counts stem from separate incidents in 2023 and February 2026.
- The case stems from a 19 February shooting at the Hyde Park residence that left a 23‑year‑old gardener critically injured, and investigators have not recovered the firearm.