Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe Accused of Assault During Seizure of Luxury Cars

Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe is accused of joining four other men in assaulting a Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) officer during an operation to seize two luxury cars allegedly kept in Harare, according to the commission. The cars, a Lamborghini Urus and a Mercedes-Benz GLE 53, were linked to Mugabe, the youngest son of former president Robert Mugabe. ZACC says two Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officers at Plumtree Border Post were arrested over claims they falsely recorded the South African-registered vehicles as having left Zimbabwe. The officers, Edwin Mhondiwa Chabuda, 43, and Upenyu Chaurura, 51, are accused of clearing the cars for exit without inspecting them and certifying departures that investigators say never happened. They face charges of criminal abuse of duty as public officers. The vehicles had entered Zimbabwe under temporary import permits, which allow foreign-registered cars to remain in the country for a limited period before they must leave. According to investigators, records showed the Lamborghini exited on July 12 and the Mercedes-Benz on October 10. ZACC says both were actually still in Harare, where they were found at a Newlands guest lodge on November 3. The commission says the alleged assault occurred as its officer carried out the seizure. The article identifies Chatunga, 29, as one of the five people accused of attacking the officer; it does not give details of any response from him or describe the status of any assault charge. ZACC spokesperson Simiso Mlevu confirmed the vehicles had been seized after the commission received information that they were in the country unlawfully. The two customs officers were expected to appear separately at Plumtree Magistrates Court on November 10 and 11. ZACC said investigations were continuing, while ZIMRA had introduced tighter controls on temporary import permits for foreign-registered vehicles.