By Advent Shoko | ZiGoats
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former president Robert Mugabe, has been arrested alongside four other men following the alleged assault of a Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) investigator during an operation targeting two luxury vehicles suspected of being illegally imported into the country.
The 29-year-old was arrested on Tuesday, November 3, following an incident at Brompton Guest Lodge in Highlands, Harare, at around 6.30pm, according to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).
In a statement issued on Wednesday, November 4, police confirmed that Chatunga and four other suspects had been arrested in connection with the assault.
The other suspects were identified as Munashe Mubawu (43), Terrence Johannes Chinyemba (42), Fredson Peter (33) and Solomon Pamire (34).
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms the arrest of Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe (29), Munashe Mubawu (43), Terrence Johannes Chinyemba (42), Fredson Peter (33) and Solomon Pamire (34) in connection with a case of assault which occurred at The Brompton Guest Lodge, Highlands, Harare on 03rd November 2026 at around 1830 hours,” the statement said.
Police said the five suspects were expected to appear in court on Thursday, November 5, adding that further details would be released in due course.
The arrests followed a ZACC operation targeting two high-end vehicles suspected of having been brought into Zimbabwe illegally from South Africa.
ZACC spokesperson Similiso Mlevu said the commission had seized a Lamborghini Urus and a Mercedes-Benz after identifying irregularities in their importation records.
Mlevu explained that the vehicles had entered Zimbabwe under temporary import permits but appeared to have remained in the country beyond the permitted periods.
“The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission today seized two high-end vehicles, that is, the Lamborghini Urus and the Mercedes-Benz, on suspicion that these vehicles are in the country illegally,” she said.
She added that one of the commission’s officers was allegedly assaulted during the operation, prompting the commission to report the matter to the police.
The alleged assault now places Chatunga at the centre of another legal controversy, months after his deportation from South Africa.
Another Brush With The Law
Chatunga’s latest arrest comes barely six months after a South African court ordered his deportation following his involvement in a case arising from a shooting incident at a Johannesburg property where he was staying.
He and his cousin, Tobias Matonhodze, were arrested in February after a worker was shot and wounded at the Hyde Park residence.
The two initially faced serious charges, including attempted murder and offences relating to firearms, immigration and defeating the ends of justice.
However, their cases took different directions after they entered guilty pleas.
Chatunga pleaded guilty to pointing an object resembling a firearm in a separate incident and contravening South Africa’s immigration laws. He was fined a total of R600,000 and ordered to leave the country.
Matonhodze, meanwhile, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and other charges linked to the shooting. He was sentenced to prison.
Chatunga subsequently returned to Zimbabwe following his deportation.
Questions Over Accountability
His latest arrest is likely to revive public debate about accountability and whether individuals from politically influential families are held to the same standards as other citizens.
Some members of the public have questioned whether Chatunga’s repeated encounters with law enforcement point to a sense of impunity, with critics arguing that his family background may shield him from the consequences of his actions.
Chatunga’s father, Robert Mugabe, ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years before being removed from power in November 2017. He died in Singapore in September 2019.
For now, the immediate question is what happens when Chatunga and his co-accused appear in court.
The case also puts the spotlight on ZACC’s efforts to tackle suspected vehicle import fraud, particularly the use of temporary import permits to bring vehicles into the country under questionable circumstances.
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