Missing firearm deepens legal trouble for Chatunga Mugabe

A missing gun is now at the centre of a case that has already drawn national attention.

When 28-year-old Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe walks into the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Monday, he is expected to face more than just the attempted murder charge that first made headlines.

Prosecutors are preparing to add fresh charges linked to a firearm that police say was used in a shooting at a Hyde Park property a weapon that has yet to be recovered.

A case that refuses to cool down

The shooting left a 23-year-old employee critically injured. Mugabe, the youngest son of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, was arrested alongside another man shortly afterwards. Both were initially charged with attempted murder.

But the investigation didn’t end there.

Sources close to the case say the National Prosecuting Authority is now looking to add charges of defeating the ends of justice and pointing a firearm. The reasoning is straightforward: the gun allegedly used in the incident has not been found.

In legal terms, the absence of the weapon complicates matters. It raises questions about whether it was hidden, disposed of, or moved and by whom.

Police still searching

Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi previously described the circumstances surrounding the shooting as “a bit sketchy,” signalling that investigators were still piecing together what happened.

Police units, including the K9 team, were deployed to comb through the Hyde Park property in search of the firearm. Officers did recover spent cartridges at the scene, which are now part of the forensic investigation.

As of now, the gun remains missing.

Public reaction and political undertones

The case has stirred conversation both in Johannesburg and across the border in Zimbabwe. On South African social media, many users have questioned how a high-profile figure became embroiled in such a serious allegation in one of Joburg’s most affluent suburbs.

Others have pointed out the symbolic weight of the Mugabe name. For decades, it was synonymous with Zimbabwe’s political power. Now, it is appearing on South African court rolls.

There is also a broader local context: gun crime remains a pressing issue in Gauteng, and high-profile cases often amplify public frustration about firearms circulating illegally.

What happens next?

Much could hinge on what emerges in court.

Police have not formally confirmed whether the additional charges will be added when the matter is called, but legal insiders expect clarity during Monday’s proceedings.

If prosecutors proceed with the added counts, the case could shift from a single serious charge to a more complex legal battle involving the alleged handling or disappearance of critical evidence.

For now, one thing is certain: until the missing firearm is accounted for, the shadow over this case will only grow longer.