Mugabe, co-accused seek for suspended sentence

Bellarmine Mugabe and Tobias Matonhodze appear at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court

The legal team of attempted murder accused Bellarmine Mugabe and his co-accused, Tobias Matonhodze, have asked the Alexandra Regional Court north of Johannesburg, to impose a suspended sentence on the accused.

Mugabe and Matonhodze entered into a plea agreement with the state.

Mugabe pleaded guilty to pointing of a firearm and contravening South Africa’s immigration laws.

Matonhondze pleaded guilty to attempted murder, contravening the country’s immigration laws, defeating the ends of justice as well as possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Advocate Laurence Hodes says a suspended sentence will serve as a warning to the pair not to break South Africa’s laws in the future.

“I would respectfully submit, your worship, that the appropriate sentence here, as there is a myriad of sentences, but the appropriate sentence here would be a suspended sentence which would hang over their heads as a warning so they don’t do this again. They are both relatively young, and in order to be punished I ask that the court imposes a suspended sentence which will serve as a warning to them, that is they cross swords with the law again they are going to have a problem.”

#Mugabe

The state has called the investigating officer to the stand, Col Raj says accused 2, “Tobias Matonhodze is undocumented in SA. On attempted murder, a firearm was used to commit offence, an illegal one. Both the accused were there, the accused show no remorse in stating…

— Chriselda Zozi Lewis (Babes Wendaba) (@Chriseldalewis) April 17, 2026