Power outages delay Mugabe son’s bail bid — again

Persistent power outages at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court have once again delayed the bail application of Bellarmine Mugabe, the son of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, leaving him and his co-accused behind bars for another week.

Mugabe and Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze, made a brief appearance in court on Thursday morning, but proceedings were halted due to a power outage – the second disruption in recent days.

The pair have been in custody for nearly two weeks in connection with a shooting at Mugabe’s Hyde Park residence, where a man believed to be a gardener was allegedly shot.

They face several charges, including attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and pointing a firearm. Police say the firearm believed to have been used in the incident has still not been recovered.

Proceedings had already been delayed earlier this week after the State failed to provide the defence with a full set of documents.

Outside court, Mugabe’s lawyer Sinenhlanhla Mnguni said Tuesday’s postponement was due to the outstanding documentation, which has since been addressed.

“Safe to say that we concluded the outstanding matters yesterday and at this point all we need to do is take instructions from our client.”

Mnguni said the repeated disruptions due to electricity outages have been frustrating for the defence team, insisting that they have long been ready to proceed with the bail application.

“The last time we were here there was no electricity… yet again today there isn’t any electricity. The matter has had to be rolled over to next week. It’s quite disappointing. As I stated on Tuesday, we’ve been ready to proceed as far back as Monday last week.”

He added that despite the delays, the accused remain understanding of the situation.

“Frustrated as he may be, he’s understanding. At this stage I think we all just want to proceed and get to a point where this matter can move forward.”

The matter has now been postponed to 11 March, when the formal bail application is expected to proceed – provided the court is able to operate without further disruptions.

Written by: Lebohang Ndashe