Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, son of the late former President Robert Mugabe, has been granted US$200 bail by the Concession Magistrates Court after spending a night in remand prison. The charges stem from two separate incidents in Mazowe, involving allegations of assault against security guards and a school groundsman.
The 28-year-old Mugabe is accused of leading an attack on five security guards at Ultimate Mine in Mazowe on June 25, alleging they were harbouring artisanal miners trespassing on a neighbouring farm owned by the former first lady, Grace Mugabe.
It was not until June 30, however, that Mugabe was arrested. This arrest followed a separate incident in which he allegedly assaulted a school groundsman believed to have connections to Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe, who also oversees the police force.
In this second incident, Mugabe, along with his two bodyguards, Tinashe Mupawo (40), and Brenan Mateko (26), and others still at large, allegedly attacked Jorum Ngirazi, a 38-year-old groundsman at Annaph Secondary School near Mazowe Inn.
According to court proceedings, Ngirazi approached the trio seeking a Grabber truck to transport gold ore. He was warned not to come any closer. As Ngirazi turned to leave, one of the men allegedly grabbed him by the collar. Mugabe reportedly slapped him in the face, and his bodyguards joined in the assault. Ngirazi’s Huawei Nova 8 mobile phone was also kicked after it fell to the ground. Although Ngirazi did not sustain visible injuries, he reported experiencing a persistent headache following the incident.
The earlier incident at Ultimate Mine involved the alleged assault of five security guards: Ntandoyokuza Nyati, Philip Chipara, Elvis Bvumbe, Collen Muchemwa, and Waddington Mutadza. The assailants accused these guards of failing to prevent trespassers from entering Grace Mugabe’s nearby Iron Mask farm.
The court heard that the victims were attacked with booted feet, fists, iron bars, logs, and water. A gunshot was also reportedly fired during the altercation.
Ntandoyokuza Nyati was allegedly struck with a log and an iron bar and had water poured on him. Elvis Bvumbe was reportedly beaten with a baton stick, a horse pipe, and an iron bar. The other victims were also allegedly slapped, kicked, and struck with blunt objects, sustaining severe injuries, including fractured skulls, broken hands, scarred backs, and internal injuries.
“One of the accused persons fired a shot from an unidentified pistol and the illegal miners escaped. The accused persons charged towards the complainant whom they accused of harbouring illegal miners. They altogether assaulted the complainant with open hands and fists before he fell,” the court heard. It is alleged that the trio stomped on the complainant several times whilst he was lying down. They ordered the complainant to carry a sack of gold ore to their premises, where they also took turns to assault him using wooden logs and an iron bar. The complainant sustained several injuries and went to report the matter at ZRP Mazowe where he was referred to the hospital for medical treatment and examination.
Philip Chipara, employed as an internal security supervisor at Ultimate Mine, Mazowe, heard a gunshot sound at the boundary of the Ultimate Mine and Iron Mask farm and went to investigate. Upon arrival, he saw his colleague, Nyathi, being assaulted. “The complainant enquired as to why they were assaulting their security guard. The accused persons charged towards the complainant and started assaulting him with fists and booted feet all over the body,” the court heard. It is alleged that the three handcuffed Chipara, together with Elvis Bvumbe and later released them. Chatunga and his bodyguards also assaulted Collen Muchemwa and Waddington Mutadza who were also on duty at the mine.
Following the mine assault, police summoned Mugabe to Mazowe Police Station. There, he is alleged to have declared, “I’m the real President’s son. I’m untouchable.”
Despite the serious allegations, the prosecution did not oppose bail. Mugabe’s co-accused, Tinashe Mupawo and Peter Fredson (32), were also granted bail under the same conditions.
The bail conditions require the three men to reside at the addresses they provided to the court, report once a week to Borrowdale Police Station, and not interfere with State witnesses. They are also permitted to retain their passports.
Mugabe is scheduled to appear in court on July 11, 15, and 17 for separate hearings related to the three separate assault cases.
Adding a further twist to the narrative, Mugabe has filed a counter-complaint, accusing Elvis Bvumbe, one of the victims from the June 25 incident, of tripping him and causing injury.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Mugabe attempted to shield himself from media cameras, appearing in a black hooded jacket. His legal team raised concerns that the trio were initially denied access to legal representation when they were charged.
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