Mugabe’s Youngest Son Faces Assault Charges as Legal Troubles Return
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, youngest son of Zimbabwe’s former President Robert Mugabe, has landed in fresh legal trouble after appearing before a court in Harare.
The 29-year-old appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court on Thursday alongside four other men following their arrest earlier this week.
Zimbabwean police spokesperson Paul Nyathi confirmed that the five men were arrested on Tuesday and are facing assault charges.
The case is connected to an operation by anti-corruption officials investigating two luxury vehicles allegedly brought into Zimbabwe through illegal channels.
A spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission disclosed that officers had visited a lodge to seize a Lamborghini and Mercedes-Benz.
During the operation, one of the officials was allegedly assaulted, prompting the authorities to initiate proceedings against the suspects.
However, investigators have not established a direct link between Bellarmine and the ownership of either luxury vehicle.
The latest court appearance adds another chapter to the legal controversies surrounding members of the Mugabe family in Zimbabwe and neighbouring South Africa.
Bellarmine had previously faced drug possession charges in Harare in October, but prosecutors withdrew the case after his co-accused accepted responsibility for possessing cannabis.
His older brother, Robert Mugabe Jr., has also encountered legal difficulties in recent years involving allegations of cannabis possession, assault and property damage.
In another incident, Bellarmine was deported from South Africa in April after pleading guilty to displaying an object likely to be mistaken for a firearm.
He also admitted violating South Africa’s immigration laws and received fines amounting to approximately $36,000, with a two-year prison sentence as an alternative.
As part of the plea agreement, a magistrate ordered his immediate deportation from South Africa following the proceedings.
Bellarmine is the youngest child of Robert Mugabe and his second wife, Grace Mugabe.
His father ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years before a military coup removed him from power in 2017. He died in 2019, aged 95.
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