Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of late Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe, has been issued a deportation order by a South African court after admitting to being in the country illegally.
The ruling was delivered by Magistrate Reiner Boshoff at a court in South Africa, where Mugabe has been in custody since mid-February over his alleged involvement in a shooting incident involving a gardener.
During sentencing, the magistrate imposed a fine of 400,000 rand (about $24,000) or 24 months’ imprisonment for charges linked to the use of what was described as a toy gun that caused a victim to believe it was a real firearm.
“You are fined 400,000 rands or 24 months imprisonment… and it is also ordered that you will be deported,” the magistrate said, adding that Mugabe would be escorted by the investigating officer.
The court also confirmed a separate financial penalty of $36,000 or 24 months’ imprisonment in default, alongside the deportation order.
The judge further ruled against Mugabe’s co-accused, stating that a custodial sentence was appropriate, though noting the court’s intention to apply what was described as a “merciful sentence.”
Mugabe’s case has drawn attention due to his family background and the serious nature of the allegations, which include illegal residence and conduct linked to a violent incident.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the timeline for his deportation, but the court ordered that it be carried out under police supervision.
