Zimbabwe: Chatunga Mugabe Faces Murder Charges

The firearm allegedly used in a shooting at the Johannesburg home of Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe has not yet been recovered police have confirmed as the 28-year-old and a co-accused prepare to appear in court on charges of attempted murder and defeating the ends of justice.

Gauteng police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the two suspects, aged 28 and 33 were expected to appear once the court session began.

"It will be for attempted murder and defeating the ends of justice, since the firearm has not been found. We are expecting them to appear anytime soon from now, once the court proceedings start," she said.

The incident took place last Thursday at Chatunga's home in Hyde Park, an affluent suburb north of the city known for its gated properties and private security.

According to police, a 23-year-old gardener employed at the residence was shot twice following what authorities described as a heated argument that escalated into violence.

He was rushed to hospital in a serious condition where doctors worked to stabilise him.

Police say the victim has been unable to clearly identify who fired the shots amid the confusion at the scene.

For his safety, his identity has not been disclosed.

Bullet cartridges were found scattered around the property, indicating what investigators described as a chaotic scene.

Chatunga and the 33-year-old co-accused were initially taken in for questioning at South African Police Service's Bramley police station before being formally arrested on attempted murder charges.

Officers conducted a search of the Hyde Park property and seized a BMW vehicle belonging to Mugabe, reportedly fitted with sirens a detail that has raised further questions among investigators.

However, the firearm believed to have been used in the shooting remains missing.

Police divers were deployed to search nearby water sources, while a K9 unit combed the grounds for concealed evidence.

The failure to locate the weapon has led to the additional charge of defeating the ends of justice, which police say relates to alleged attempts to tamper with or interfere with the crime scene.

This article originally appeared on 263Chat.