Zimbabwe: Mugabe's Son Bellarmine Chatunga Arrested Over Luxury Car Smuggling, Assault

What the report says

Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former president Robert Mugabe, has been arrested along with four other men in connection with the alleged smuggling of two luxury vehicles into Zimbabwe, according to New Zimbabwe via AllAfrica. The case involves a Mercedes-Benz GLE 53 and a Lamborghini Urus that investigators say were brought into the country without the required customs clearances.

Police documents cited in the report say the men were held at Highlands Police Station after an operation at a property in Newlands, Harare. The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority is listed as the complainant. Authorities allege the vehicles were kept at the property for about a month to avoid customs duty and detection, and that neither had a Temporary Importation Permit or official entry records.

The report also says officers from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission seized the cars as investigations continued. During the operation, police say officers were assaulted by suspects, and Chatunga is separately alleged to have assaulted a ZACC officer involved in the inquiry. The case adds to previous legal troubles linked to Chatunga, though those past matters are described here only as background in the source report. The matter is likely to be watched closely because it involves a high-profile political family and allegations of customs evasion and obstruction of investigators.