Case against Bellarmine Mugabe, co-accused postponed after prosecutor's no-show

The criminal case against the son of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe and his co-accused has been postponed to next Tuesday.

Bellarmine Mugabe and Tobias Matondze returned to the Alexandra Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning to make a plea.

The pair is accused of shooting and injuring an employee at their Hyde Park home in Johannesburg last month.

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They were due to enter their plea on Tuesday, but proceedings were postponed due to the absence of a senior prosecutor.

Mugabe and Matondze face seven charges, including attempted murder, possession of a firearm and ammunition, defeating the ends of justice, contravening the Immigration Act, theft and the pointing of a firearm.

After it emerged that Mugabe and Matondze are in South Africa illegally, it is understood that their legal team and the State reached a plea agreement.

The pair was expected to plead guilty to some of the charges they face, while maintaining their innocence on others.

Bellarmine’s lawyer, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, said plea negotiations were at an advanced stage.

"We are at the stage of trying to conclude them. Unfortunately, the senior prosecutor wasn’t in court today. We are hoping as the State that we can finalise the plea negotiations when we return next week".

The pair is expected back in court on Tuesday next week