Robert Mugabe’s son arrested for cannabis possession, faces court in Harare

Authorities say the arrest happened on Wednesday after he was seen driving the wrong way down a one-way street in Central Harare.

Officers allege that when they stopped and searched him, they recovered two sachets of cannabis weighing 2 grams with a street value of about US $30.

Besides Mugabe Jr, police say they arrested three people linked to what they call his drug syndicate. From that group, they reportedly recovered 25 sachets of Indo-hybrid dagga and six ecstasy pills.

Prosecutors told the court that Mugabe Jr was driving a silver Honda Fit and that police also found rolling papers and a small grinder along with the cannabis.

His lawyer said the drugs were not his but belonged to other passengers and accused the police of exaggerating the amount found.

When he appeared before the Harare Magistrate’s Court, Mugabe Jr was dressed casually in joggers and a red cap, was not handcuffed, and walked into court while on his phone.

His bail application was postponed, and he remained in custody for two nights as he awaited the decision. He was later released after paying bail of US $300.

This is not his first encounter with the law. In 2023 he was arrested after allegations that he damaged property and spat on a police officer during a party in Harare.

Robert Mugabe Jr is the son of former president Robert Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe from 1980 until his overthrow in 2017. Mugabe died in 2019.

Over time, the Mugabe family fell into a strained relationship with the current president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, though Mugabe Jr publicly reconciled with Zanu-PF in 2022.