Matonhodze Did Not Plead Guilty To Protect Chatunga, Lawyer Says

The lawyer who secured a non-custodial sentence for Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe in South Africa this week has dismissed claims that his jailed co-accused, Tobias Tamirepi Mugabe Matonhodze, pleaded guilty to “take the fall” and protect the late former president Robert Mugabe’s son.

Speaking to the media outside Alexandra Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 29 April, after sentencing, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni said the public had just wanted to see Chatunga go down.

Chatunga was deported later on Wednesday after being convicted of pointing a replica firearm at someone and breaching South Africa’s immigration laws. Matonhodze was sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted on four charges.

“That is speculative at best, and it cannot be said that anyone took the fall for anyone,” said Mnguni.

“Both accused, when they pleaded guilty, did so knowing what the charges against them were. They pleaded accordingly.

“Because of the optics and spectacle around it, there is a person the court of public opinion wanted to take the blame and responsibility for this entire ordeal.”

The two men were arrested on 19 February 2026 following the shooting of Sipho Mahlangu, a gardener at the Mugabe family’s residence in the wealthy suburb of Hyde Park.

Chatunga, who had pleaded guilty to contraventions of the Firearms Control Act and the Immigration Act, avoided a custodial sentence. Magistrate Renier Boshoff, delivering judgment on Wednesday, 29 April 2026, imposed a fine of R600,000 or 24 months’ imprisonment.

The fine comprises R400,000 or 24 months in prison for pointing what was determined to be a toy gun, and a further R200,000 or 18 months for breaching immigration laws.

In contrast, his co-accused Matonhodze, who pleaded guilty to attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, and firearm-related offences, was handed an effective three-year prison sentence.

The court sentenced Matonhodze to 12 months’ imprisonment for attempted murder, 12 months for defeating or obstructing the course of justice, three years for unlawful possession of a firearm, and a further 12 months for unlawful possession of ammunition. All sentences are to run concurrently.