In a dramatic turn of events, Robert Mugabe Jr., the 33-year-old son of Zimbabwe’s late former president Robert Mugabe, has been arrested in the capital on allegations of possessing illegal drugs.
According to Zimbabwean outlet ZimLive, police detained Mugabe Jr. on Wednesday after allegedly discovering cannabis and cocaine in his possession.
He has since been brought before the Harare Magistrates Court, where he is expected to face formal charges.
This is not Mugabe Jr.’s first clash with the law. In 2023, he was arrested following a party dispute and charged with property damage and assaulting a police officer.
Prosecutors claimed he smashed car windscreens and spat on an officer, with damages estimated at $12,000.
He denied the allegations and sought an out-of-court settlement with the complainant, who was described as a close friend.
As the second child of Robert Mugabe and his widow Grace Mugabe, Mugabe Jr. has often been in the public spotlight for his lavish lifestyle and run-ins with the law. His legal troubles have continued to make headlines in Zimbabwe, a nation still shaped by his father’s legacy.
The late Robert Mugabe, who died in 2019 at the age of 95, was celebrated as a liberation hero but later condemned globally for authoritarian rule, human rights abuses, and economic mismanagement during his nearly four-decade rule, which ended with his ouster in 2017.
Mugabe Jr.’s arrest comes amid an intensified government crackdown on narcotics in urban centers, where drug abuse and related crimes are increasingly on the rise.
Authorities say the case will be a crucial test of whether Zimbabwe’s anti-drug drive can hold even high-profile figures accountable.
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