Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe and four co-accused face assault charges following a confrontation during an operation to seize two luxury vehicles suspected of being unlawfully imported into Zimbabwe

Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former President Robert Mugabe, appeared before a Harare court on Nov. 5 over the alleged assault of an investigator from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).

Arrest at a Harare guest lodge

The 29-year-old was arrested on Nov. 3 alongside four other men after an incident at Brompton Guest Lodge in Newlands, Harare.

Police identified the co-accused as Munashe Mubawu, Terrence Johannes Chinyemba, Fredson Peter and Solomon Pamire. The five are accused of assaulting an official during a ZACC operation at the property.

Luxury vehicles at the center of the operation

The operation targeted a Lamborghini Urus and a Mercedes-Benz suspected of being unlawfully kept in Zimbabwe.

ZACC spokesperson Simiso Mlevu said records indicated that the vehicles had entered the country under temporary import permits and were subsequently recorded as having left, despite being found in Harare. The commission said one of its officials was assaulted during the seizure.

No link established to the vehicles

However, authorities have not publicly established that either vehicle belongs to Chatunga or directly linked him to the alleged import irregularities. The charges reported against him concern the alleged assault.

Bail hearing set

The court remanded the five men in custody, with a bail hearing scheduled for Nov. 6.

The case adds another legal episode involving members of the former president’s family, although the current allegations remain before the courts.