Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe is once again making headlines, and this time things have taken a serious turn. The youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former president, Robert Mugabe has been remanded in custody alongside four other men following their court appearance over an alleged assault involving an anti-corruption investigator.
The 29-year-old appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 5 November, following his arrest earlier this week. The five men are expected to return to court on Friday, 6 November, for a bail hearing.
The case stems from an operation at Brompton Guest Lodge in Harare, where officials from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) were investigating two luxury vehicles suspected of being illegally kept in the country.
Now, here's where the luxury cars enter the picture. Investigators were looking into a Lamborghini Urus and a Mercedes-Benz GLE 53, both reportedly registered in South Africa. The vehicles were suspected of remaining in Zimbabwe despite irregularities surrounding their temporary import permits.
According to ZACC spokesperson Simiso Mlevu, the Lamborghini had reportedly entered Zimbabwe in June and was recorded as having left the country on 12 July. The Mercedes-Benz was recorded as entering Zimbabwe on the same day and leaving for South Africa on 10 October. However, both vehicles were later discovered at the lodge, prompting authorities to seize them.
Things allegedly escalated during the operation when one of the investigators was assaulted, leading to the arrest of Bellarmine and four other men.
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The other accused have been identified as Munashe Mubawu, Terrence Johannes Chinyemba, Fredson Peter and Solomon Pamire.
Bellarmine's latest court appearance comes after a string of legal troubles that have previously placed him in the headlines in both Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Earlier this year, he was arrested in Johannesburg following a shooting incident at his Hyde Park residence, where a worker was reportedly wounded. In April, he was fined R600,000 and ordered to leave South Africa after pleading guilty to immigration-related offences and pointing an object resembling a firearm.
For now, all eyes are on the upcoming bail proceedings as the case continues to unfold.
