CAPE TOWN — Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the controversial youngest son of late former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, has reportedly been arrested at his upmarket residence in Hyde Park, Johannesburg following a shooting incident involving a security guard.
According to multiple reports, Mugabe was taken into custody after allegedly shooting and wounding a member of his security detail. Authorities have yet to release an official statement detailing the circumstances surrounding the incident, and key facts remain unclear.
Sources familiar with the matter have suggested that the altercation may have occurred during a volatile confrontation. Claims circulating in local media regarding the possible involvement of alcohol or substance use have not been independently verified.
Footage shared on social media appears to show Mugabe in handcuffs as police escorted him from the property. Law enforcement agencies have not publicly confirmed the authenticity of the videos.
Mugabe, the youngest of three children born to Robert Mugabe and Grace Mugabe, has previously faced legal trouble.
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, 29, son of the late Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, is alleged to be involved in a shooting at his Hyde Park residence in Johannesburg. The gardener was critically injured, and police sniffer dogs are searching the still-active scene for the… pic.twitter.com/zyFBzjLrau
— IOL News (@IOL) February 19, 2026
In July 2025, he was arrested and appeared in court in connection with a violent incident at Ultimate Mining, near Mazowe. Court proceedings at the time indicated that armed individuals allegedly linked to Mugabe were involved in an attack that left three security guards seriously injured. He faced charges of grievous bodily harm.
Earlier, in August 2024, Mugabe was also arrested following an alleged assault on a police officer during a vehicle stop.
Bellarmine Mugabe and his brother, Robert Mugabe Jr., are understood to divide their time between Harare and Johannesburg.
Grace Mugabe herself has faced legal challenges in South Africa. In 2017, she was accused of assaulting South African model Gabriella Engels at the Capital 20 West. The incident drew widespread media attention and diplomatic controversy.
South African authorities are expected to provide further details regarding the latest arrest as investigations continue.
