A court in Zimbabwe has issued a warrant of arrest for former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe’s youngest son, Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, after the 27-year-old failed to attend court.
IOL has seen the statement from the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, which stated that Chatunga was expected to appear before the Beitbridge Magistrate’s Court, in the border town on Monday.
Chatunga was due before the court for a routine remand hearing following his arrest two weeks ago on charges of disorderly conduct. The long-time president’s son also faces charges of possession of prohibited weapons, in the form of a knife allegedly found on him.
“Allegations are that on August 31 2024 the accused person’s vehicle which was being driven by a South African national was stopped at Bubi security roadblock in Beitbridge. The driver was asked to produce his passport and vehicle registration documents,” the prosecutions authority’s statement read.
The South African national has been identified in media reports as Irvin Molokoza.
The Zimbabwean authorities said before the driver could comply, Chatunga allegedly handed his passport to the police officer.
“The police officer ordered the driver to park the vehicle on the side of the road. It is alleged that the accused person complained after the police officer requested that the driver parks the motor vehicle off the road. He (Chatunga) allegedly disembarked from the vehicle and charged towards the police officer shouting, ‘what are you doing, you are delaying me for the fourth time. I am rushing to a wedding in Harare, check my passport, don’t you know who I am’,” the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe stated regarding the disorderly conduct charge.
Regarding the possession of prohibited knives charge, the authorities said during the scuffle, a small brown knife allegedly fell from the accused person’s black hooded fleece jacket.
The police recovered the knife leading to the accused person’s arrest.
State media in Zimbabwe reported that Chatunga will now have to answer for his failure to appear in court, in addition to the charges stemming from the Bubi incident when he was with Molokoza.
IOL