Robert Mugabe Jr., the 33-year-old son of Zimbabwe’s late former President Robert Mugabe, has been brought before a Harare court to face charges of drug possession. He was reportedly apprehended by police on Wednesday morning after driving against traffic on a one-way street. According to court documents, a search of his belongings revealed two small sachets of cannabis.
In addition to Mugabe Jr., police stated that five individuals allegedly part of a syndicate connected to him were also arrested. Mugabe Jr.’s lawyer, Ashiel Mugiya, has indicated plans to contest the charges, disputing the police’s account of the events. Mugiya stated that the drugs were found in a car with three other passengers, and that police recovered only 0.02g of cannabis, contradicting the charge sheet which claims 2g were found with a street value of $30 (£22).
Mugabe Jr. appeared in court wearing casual attire and was accompanied by a large group, not handcuffed. He was remanded in custody, with a bail ruling expected on Friday. The police further reported that during the arrests of the alleged syndicate members, 25 sachets of marijuana and six ecstasy pills were seized, and investigations are ongoing.
This is not the first legal encounter for Mugabe Jr. Last year, he was reportedly arrested following allegations of property damage and assaulting a police officer at a party in Harare. He was later released after reaching an out-of-court settlement with the complainant, a friend.
Former President Robert Mugabe passed away in 2019 at the age of 95, two years after stepping down following 37 years of leadership in Zimbabwe. He was a key figure in the fight against white-minority rule but later faced accusations of authoritarianism and economic mismanagement.
His successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, had a strained relationship with the Mugabe family following the leadership change. While Grace Mugabe, the former president’s widow, had reportedly harbored ambitions to succeed her husband, she was ultimately sidelined. However, Robert Mugabe Jr. has since reconciled with Mnangagwa, publicly rejoining the ruling Zanu-PF party in 2022.