By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Robert Mugabe Jr, son of Zimbabwe’s former President Robert Mugabe, on Thursday appeared before a Harare court where he faced charge of illegal possession of drug.
He was subsequently remanded in custody pending the ruling on a bail application on Friday.
Mugabe Jr, 33, was arrested on Wednesday morning as he drove the wrong way down a one-way street, court documents indicate.
Police searched a black sling bag he was wearing at the time where two small sachets of cannabis were allegedly found.
Police in a statement said five-man “syndicate linked to him” were also arrested.
Mugabe’s lawyer, Ashiel Mugiya said they plan to deny the charges, disputing police claims, a BBC report said.
Mugiya said the drugs were recovered from a car that had three other occupants, and that police had found 0.02g of cannabis. But the police in a charge sheet say they recovered 2g, with a street value of $30 (£22).
Mugabe who was led into the magistrates court on Thursday was surrounded by supporters and was not handcuffed.
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 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 was succeeded by his former right-hand man Emmerson Mnangagwa.
