Inside Bellarmine Mugabe’s arrest: claims that security guard inflicted his own wounds

Former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe’s son, Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, has allegedly told police that the man who was shot on his property is his security guard, and that he shot himself during a scuffle.

Bellarmine (28) and his bodyguard were arrested on Thursday, 19 February, for attempted murder following a shooting incident at their upmarket home in Hyde Park, Johannesburg.

Two sources privy to the police investigation said the former Zimbabwean president’s youngest son told the cops his employee inflicted his own wounds.

According to the sources, Bellarmine told police that the conflict with his security guard started after the guard had allegedly performed traditional rituals on the property that Mugabe disapproved of, earlier this week.

As a result, Bellarmine told police that he fired the guard.

“He told them that on Thursday morning, the security guard reported for duty armed, and they had a scuffle during which he shot himself and left the premises bleeding with his firearm,” the source revealed.

Bellarmine went so far as to tell the police officers that he had reason to believe that the guard did not arrive at work alone but had come with accomplices who were waiting outside the property, the source revealed.

“He claimed the same accomplices took the firearm away while the guard was being rushed to the hospital. Cops were sceptical of this story as it is believed the guard was shot in the back.

The police found many used ammunition cartridges for different calibre weapons during their search, but none of the firearms were found on the property.

According to the second source, the property in which the shooting happened this week houses many of the late Zimbabwean president’s loyalists who use the house as a home away from Zimbabwe.

“There are about 25 to 30 people currently staying in the property.”

The source claimed the people staying at the house were either banished, had a fallout with the current Emmerson Mnangagwa regime, or felt that their lives were in danger.

Another alleged victim comes forward

Another source told City Press that Bellarmine’s problems may worsen.

This was after a man staying in the area approached police during the raid and arrest, and made claims that he apparently saw the breaking news on TV that Bellarmine was being arrested and rushed to the scene to confront the police.

“The man approached police at the scene and told them that he, too, had been previously pointed at with a firearm by Bellarmine.”

The cops were conducting searches at the scene and in three neighbouring houses for the missing gun, to eliminate the possibility that someone may have thrown the gun into one of the properties.

While we were there waiting for the police to conduct the search on the property and on the properties of the three neighbours, that man came and said Bellarmine had pointed a firearm at him at The Zone mall in Rosebank last week. He claimed to have video footage of the incident, and said he was going to open a case of pointing a firearm.

According to the source, the family and Mugabe’s lawyer believed the man was a scammer wanting to extort the family during a time of crisis.

“The story was not convincing even to the police, who questioned how he was given the [mall] footage without having laid any criminal charges,” the source revealed.

According to the source, the family appointed a lawyer and several security consultants to assist in ensuring that Bellarmine does not end up serving time in prison.

His fugitive mother, Grace, wants him back home
The mother [Grace] is in Singapore, where she stays and cannot travel back because of the arrest warrant against her. She is worried and wants Bellarmine back in Zimbabwe because he is misbehaving in South Africa.

Grace Mugabe became a fugitive from justice after allegedly assaulting Bellarmine’s girlfriend, Gabriella Engels, in 2017 when she found them partying in a hotel room at The Capital 20 West in Sandton with Bellarmine’s brother, Robert Jr (33).

Grace allegedly assaulted her using an electrical extension cord, which resulted in Engels sustaining cuts on her head.

The government granted Grace immunity from prosecution, which AfriForum, who represented Engels, opposed.

Through their private prosecution division headed by former prosecutor for the National Prosecuting Authority, Gerrie Nel, AfriForum made an application to cancel Grace’s immunity in a bid to get her extradited to face charges.

The immunity was overturned and a warrant of arrest was issued for Grace in December 2018.

Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed on Thursday that two men were arrested and were expected to appear before the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Police can confirm that two men brought in for questioning in relation to a shooting that occurred earlier today at Hyde Park have been officially arrested and are expected to appear before the Alexandra court soon on charges of attempted murder.

Nevhuhulwi said police were investigating a case of attempted murder after a 23-year-old man was shot.

She said the victim was an employee at the residence and had been taken to the hospital.

“The K9 Unit, Bramley Police Station detectives and Forensic Crime Scene Management are processing the scene and two men, aged 28 and 33 years, have been taken in for questioning.

“The motive of the shooting is unknown at this stage and police investigations are under way,” Nevhuhulwi said.

Bellarmine and his bodyguard remain in custody at the Bramley Police Station.

Bellarmine’s lawyer, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, said he was awaiting further instructions from the family before he could respond to media enquiries, adding that his priority is the bail application and to secure the release of his client. News24