Former President Robert Mugabe’s son appears in court on drug charge

The son of Zimbabwe’s former President Robert Mugabe has appeared in a Harare court charged with drug possession.

Robert Mugabe Jr, 33, was arrested on Wednesday morning as he drove the wrong way down a one-way street, according to court documents. Police searched a black sling bag he was wearing at the time and allegedly found two small sachets of cannabis.

Following the incident, police said in a statement that five people in a “syndicate linked to him” were also arrested.

Mr Mugabe’s lawyer told the BBC they plan to deny the charges, and contested the factual claims made by the police.

Ashiel Mugiya said the drugs were recovered from a car that had three other occupants, and that police had found 0.02g of cannabis – while the police charge sheet says police recovered 2g, with a street value of $30 (£22).

Mr Mugabe wore joggers and a red cap while on his phone as he was led into the magistrates court on Thursday. He was surrounded by people and was not handcuffed.

The court remanded Mr Mugabe in custody pending a bail ruling on Friday.

On the alleged syndicate members they arrested, police said they found 25 sachets of marijuana and six ecstasy pills.

Police said they will continue to investigate.

This is not Mr Mugabe’s first brush with the law. In 2023, the second child of the former president and his widow Grace was arrested over allegations he damaged property and spat on a police officer at a party in Harare, the Zimbabwean capital, in 2023.

He was freed after agreeing to an out-of-court settlement with the complainant, who was a friend of his.

Former President Mugabe died in 2019 at the age of 95, two years after being forced to resign following 37 years in charge of the southern African nation.

He led the fight against in the 1970s against the white-minority rule of what used to be called Rhodesia – but he was later accused of using violence to win elections and destroying Zimbabwe’s economy.

Mugabe Sr was replaced by his former right-hand man Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Relations between Mnangagwa and the Mugabe family had been fraught after they accused the incumbent president of betraying Zimbabwe’s long-time leader.

Grace had harbored ambitions of succeeding her husband but was sidelined by Mnangagwa’s supporters.

However, Mr Mugabe Jr has since reconciled with Mnangagwa, attending a rally in 2022 where he was publicly welcomed back into the ruling Zanu-PF party.