Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe Case NOT Collapsing: Top Investigator Dismisses Media Speculation Over Missing Gun

Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe Case Will Not Be Dismissed, Says Investigator

The dramatic case against Robert Mugabe’s son Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe is NOT falling apart, despite a storm of social media speculation and a crucial missing weapon. Top private investigator Mike Bolhuis has moved swiftly to crush any suggestion that the lack of a firearm will see the attempted murder case thrown out of court, warning that those hiding the gun are in “big trouble.” Mugabe, 28, and his co-accused Tobias Matonhodze, 33, remain locked up in South Africa as they await their high-stakes bail hearing, with the State piling on extra charges and the clock ticking down to 3 March 2026.

Missing Gun Won’t Sink State’s Case

As rumours spread like wildfire online that the case would collapse without the weapon, Mike Bolhuis stepped in to pour cold water on the gossip. The investigator insists the evidence against the pair is overwhelming, even with the firearm still at large.

“There is physical evidence of the shot. There is witnesses and there is a gun wound and he is critical in hospital, these are all facts and information to be presented in court,” Bolhuis stated firmly.

The investigator dismissed the idea that the missing gun is a fatal flaw, pointing instead to the victim’s condition as undeniable proof of a crime. The 23-year-old employee remains in hospital in a critical condition after being shot at the Mugabe family’s upscale Hyde Park property in Johannesburg last week.

“There is no other way this person finds himself in this situation without being shot by a gun,” Bolhuis explained. “The fact remains that those who don’t come forward with the gun are in big trouble. If victim lies and doesn’t cooperate he is also in big trouble. This case cannot fall away. Nobody can withdraw this case and this case has to be prosecuted by the state.”

Fresh Charges and Courtroom Drama

The legal noose tightened dramatically around Chatunga Mugabe and Tobias Matonhodze when they appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 23 February. What started as a single attempted murder charge has now exploded into a three-count indictment.

Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that prosecutors have added charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and defeating the ends of justice. Both charges stem directly from the disappearance of the weapon allegedly used to shoot the victim.

Police have recovered spent cartridges at the chaotic scene, confirming a gun was fired, but intensive searches involving K9 units and forensic teams have failed to locate the weapon. Investigators are also probing allegations that the crime scene may have been tampered with before officers arrived.

Mugabe’s Mystery Illness and Court Mix-Up

The lead-up to the court appearance was marred by bizarre drama, with reports emerging that Chatunga Mugabe collapsed twice while in police custody. Sources claim the collapse was allegedly due to a medical condition, forcing authorities to contact his legal representatives to arrange for his medication to be brought to the holding cells.

The court was later informed that his condition had stabilised.

Adding to the farce, the two accused were initially mistakenly transported to the Randburg Magistrate’s Court instead of Alexandra, causing a delay that did not impress the presiding magistrate.

Mugabe’s lawyer, Jason Saus, remained tight-lipped about the defence strategy but confirmed his client was in good spirits.

“I do confirm that my client is in high spirits, we visited him several times this weekend,” Saus told reporters. “We are still taking further instructions and at this point we do not have any further comment. We do not have a choice, we have to do what we need to do. We do not want to compromise the investigations.”

Saus also noted pointedly that the defence had not been formally notified of the defeating-the-ends-of-justice charge before the court appearance, hinting at procedural battles ahead.

A Family’s Recurring Nightmare in South Africa

The case has thrust the Mugabe family back into the South African legal spotlight, reviving memories of Grace Mugabe’s infamous 2017 controversy. The former First Lady was accused of assaulting 20-year-old model Gabriella Engels with an extension cord after finding her in a hotel room with her sons, Robert Jnr and Chatunga.

That incident spiralled into a diplomatic firestorm when then-Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane granted Grace diplomatic immunity, a decision later overturned by the High Court. An arrest warrant for Grace Mugabe remains active in South Africa, meaning she cannot cross the border to assist her son.

“The Mugabe name, it seems, has a recurring and complicated relationship with South African law,” observed one commentator.

What Happens Now?

Both accused will spend at least another week behind bars, with their formal bail application now scheduled for 3 March 2026 at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court. The State has indicated it will oppose bail, and investigators are working to verify the duo’s immigration status.

Police are still waiting to obtain a full statement from the critically injured victim once his condition allows. The investigation remains active, with officers following multiple leads.

For Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late ruler, who grew up insulated by privilege in Sandhurst’s mansions, the contrast between his gilded past and his current jail cell could not be more brutal. The case also resurrects unresolved legal troubles from Zimbabwe, where Mugabe was arrested in 2025 following a violent confrontation at a gold mining concession in Mazowe.

The Sandhurst mansion now sits empty of its most notorious occupant. Proceedings resume on 3 March.