Mudzinganyama was heard boasting about his wealth and telling the women: 'I could put a bullet in you now! I do not play. I will murder you now and walk.'
Zimbabwean businessman Lawrence Mudzinganyama. Picture: Screengrab of video.
Zimbabwean businessman Lawrence Mudzinganyama, accused of threatening to kill women at a Sandton restaurant, now faces a raft of serious charges after prosecutors expanded their case.
The 40-year-old Mudzinganyama appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court earlier this month after his arrest in connection with an incident at a Johannesburg restaurant.
Charges
Mudzinganyama was released on R15 000 bail.
He faces 10 charges, including fraud, intimidation, crimen injuria and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it has furnished the defence with the contents of the docket in the case against Mudzinganyama, who is facing multiple charges arising from an alleged incident at Vlamo Restaurant in Randburg
Arrest
NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the matter has been transferred to the Regional Court at the Randburg Magistrates’ Court for further proceedings.
Mudzinganyama was arrested on 20 September 2026 at the Randburg Police Station and was initially released on a warning on a charge of intimidation. After further investigations, including obtaining witness statements and securing video footage, the state brought additional charges against him.
“The accused is facing three counts of intimidation, three counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, three counts of crimen injuria and one count of fraud,” said Kganyago.
Viral video
Mudzinganyama’s legal troubles began after a viral video emerged, widely shared on social media, showing him severely threatening a group of women after they reportedly rejected his advances.
In the clips, he was heard boasting about his wealth, telling the women: “I could put a bullet in you now. I do not play. I will murder you now and walk.”
Mudzinganyama apologised for his behaviour after the incident went viral.
“I apologise unreservedly to the women involved in the recent incident at Vlamo restaurant in Sandton,” he said, adding that he should have walked away and asked the restaurant’s management for help.
“I did not, and I accept responsibility for my words and conduct.”
Charges explained
Kganyago said the crimen injuria charges relate to allegations that the accused insulted the complainants and impaired their dignity by calling them a derogatory name in the presence of other people.
“The fraud charge relates to an allegation that he falsely represented himself to the witnesses as the owner of Vlamo Restaurant, despite allegedly knowing that he was not its lawful owner.”
“The defence requested additional time to consult with the accused. The matter was postponed to 30 October 2026 for a trial date to be determined, and his bail was extended until his next court appearance,” Kganyago said.
The NPA said it was ready to proceed with the matter and remains committed to prosecuting cases diligently and ensuring all accused persons are afforded a fair trial.
