Mugabe’s son held in custody as bail hearing set for Friday
HARARE — The youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former president Robert Mugabe will remain behind bars overnight after a Harare magistrate ordered him and four co-accused remanded in custody pending a bail application on Friday.
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, 29, appeared Thursday before magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai alongside Terrence Johannes Chinyemba, Fredson Peter, Solomon Pamire and Munashe Mubhawo.
The group faces charges of robbery and malicious damage to property.
Mugabe is being represented by lawyers Tabison Bvekwa and Theophilus Mubhemi.
Prosecutors say the alleged offence took place on the evening of 3 November at Brompton Guest Lodge in Harare.
Security guard Lloyd Panyika Mapanduki, 42, was on duty when the five men — who were also staying at the lodge — allegedly confronted him and assaulted him with open hands and broomsticks. Mapanduki suffered a deep cut to his forehead and bled heavily.
According to the State, one of the accused then seized the guard’s loaded service pistol.
The group is also accused of taking Mapanduki’s Samsung A56 cellphone and smashing it on the ground. Police were alerted and later arrested the five men. The firearm was reportedly recovered from one of the accused.
Separate accounts have linked the arrests to a Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission operation at the same lodge. Officers had gone there to seize two luxury vehicles — a Lamborghini and a Mercedes-Benz — suspected of overstaying their temporary import permits. An investigator is said to have been assaulted during the operation.
Mugabe is due back in court on Friday for the bail hearing.