Robert Mugabe Junior, 33, the son of late former president Robert Mugabe, has been found guilty of illegal possession of drugs by the Harare Magistrates Court. Magistrate Lisa Mutendereki delivered the ruling on Thursday, 13 November 2025.

Mugabe pleaded guilty to possessing two grams of dagga, admitting the offence in open court. During proceedings, he appealed to the court for leniency, revealing that he is a single father of two.

“I am a single father raising two children. I ask the court to be lenient with me,” he said.

Sentencing is scheduled for later Thursday afternoon.

Found With Dagga During Traffic Stop

The case stems from a traffic stop on 1 October 2025, when police intercepted Mugabe’s silver Honda Fit in central Harare. Officers discovered a small quantity of dagga in his bag.

Prosecutor Mandirasa Chigumira told the court the search uncovered:

• Two sachets of dagga
• One pack of Rizla rolling papers
• A white dagga crusher

The total haul weighed two grams, with an estimated street value of US$30 (R550). Chigumira also noted that Mugabe had initially refused to sign the seizure receipt issued by police.

Previous Court Appearance and Bail

Mugabe first appeared in court on 2 October 2025 and spent two nights in custody before being granted bail of US$300 (R5,500). Magistrate Mutendereki ordered him to report weekly to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and remain at his registered address until the case concluded.

The trial has attracted widespread attention on social media, with public reactions divided over his conviction.

Police Allegations of Wider Syndicate

Earlier, the Zimbabwe Republic Police suggested Mugabe might be connected to a larger drug network. Commissioner Paul Nyathi told reporters on 2 October 2025 that authorities had recovered 25 sachets of Indo hybrid dagga and six ecstasy pills linked to a syndicate allegedly involving Phillip Munetsi Chiyangwa, Mitchel Jackson, Simbarashe Kaseke, Wellington Icube, and Tanaka Kashamba.

However, prosecutors focused solely on Mugabe’s personal possession charge in court, leaving the wider syndicate allegations unaddressed.

History of Legal Trouble

This is not Mugabe Junior’s first legal issue. In February 2023, he was arrested for allegedly damaging property at a party in Harare. That case was later dropped following compensation. His lawyer, Ashiel Mugiya, who represented him in 2023, again defended him in this case, saying:

“He accepts responsibility for what happened and has cooperated with the authorities.”

Mugabe is expected back in court Thursday afternoon for sentencing, when Magistrate Mutendereki will determine his punishment.

Authorities in Malaysia and Thailand have recovered at least 13 bodies and are continuing to search for survivors after a boat carrying undocumented migrants capsized off the coast of Thailand’s Tarutao Island, officials said on Monday.

The vessel, which was carrying around 70 migrants — many believed to be members of Myanmar’s persecuted Rohingya minority — overturned four days ago while attempting to reach Malaysia.

Police said the passengers were part of a larger group of about 300 people who had set out in at least two boats from Myanmar roughly two weeks ago. The second boat has since been reported missing.

Tarutao Island lies just north of Malaysia’s popular Langkawi resort island, where rescue operations have been concentrated.

Romli Mustafa, Director of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for the northern states of Kedah and Perlis, said that rescuers had so far recovered seven bodies, all identified as Rohingya.

“Thai authorities are also conducting search-and-rescue operations, where they have found six bodies,” Romli told reporters. “We expect to find more victims today,” he added, noting that strong currents were likely to carry additional bodies into Malaysian waters.

At least 13 people — mostly Rohingya and Bangladeshis — have been rescued alive, according to Malaysian police. Langkawi Police Chief Khairul Azhar Nuruddin said six of the dead were identified as Rohingya women and one as a young girl.

Romli said at least 12 vessels are currently involved in search efforts across a 250-square-nautical-mile area, roughly the size of Singapore.

The tragedy highlights the growing dangers faced by Rohingya refugees fleeing persecution in Myanmar, often through perilous sea routes facilitated by human trafficking syndicates.

“Cross-border syndicates are increasingly exploiting vulnerable migrants, turning them into victims of human trafficking using high-risk sea routes,” Romli said, noting that traffickers charge as much as $3,500 per person for passage.

Malaysia, one of Southeast Asia’s more prosperous nations, is home to millions of migrant workers, many of whom are undocumented and employed in construction, agriculture, and domestic service.

Deadly boat disasters are not uncommon in the region. In December 2021, more than 20 migrants drowned off Malaysia’s coast in one of the worst incidents in recent years.

Authorities say search operations will continue in both Thai and Malaysian waters as the death toll is expected to rise.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-California) announced her retirement Thursday morning via video message.

In the message posted on her social media accounts she speaks directly to San Francisco.

She said: “San Francisco, know your power,”. “We have made history. We have made progress. We have always led the way, and now we must continue to do so by remaining full participants in our democracy and fighting for the American ideals we hold dear.

“Dear San Francisco, we are fortunate to live in the most beautiful, remarkable place on Earth, but the true magic of San Francisco, the San Franciscans. There’s a reason why our city has always been synonymous with the future. Here, we don’t fear the future. We forge it from the gold rush to the miracles of science and technology. Our city has always been the cradle of innovation, buzzing with optimism and creativity.

“We are vibrant and diverse city, home to hard working families, diligent students and Heroic veterans and the dreams of entrepreneurs and immigrants from Chinatown to Japantown, from the mission to the film Hunters Point to the Castro North Beach to the sunset. We are also resilient, experiencing more than our fair share of challenges.

“When the Loma Prieta earthquake struck, we brought in federal support that ensured we would not just recover but reimagine the South of Market neighborhood, and of course, HIV AIDS tested our city to its core. But out of our agony came action. Under the leadership of UCSF and San Francisco General, we pioneered comprehensive community based care, prevention and research.

That very system served as a model, as we wrote the Ryan White Care Act, which still ensures access to life saving medical care nationwide. Fittingly, our city is home to the National AIDS memorial grove, a place of renewal, where we remember the loved ones we lost. For decades, I’ve cherished the privilege of representing our magnificent city in the United States Congress.”