‘Mugabe’s son Chatunga received R10 million on eve of 2017 military coup’
An investigation by South African unit Amabhungane has established that the late former President Robert Mugabe’s son Bellarmine Chatunga allegedly received R10 million (US$526,114) during the military coup which ousted his father in November 2017.
AmaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism is an investigative journalism organisation focusing primarily on exposing political corruption in South Africa and neighbouring countries.
According to their latest report several hawala payments were made to a BC Mugabe through an unnamed individual working with Ewan Macmillan of the Gold Mafia exposè.
Hawala transactions are an informal method of transferring money without any physical money actually moving.
According to the investopedia, because money laundering aims to hide the source of cash that is generated from illegal activities, hawala is often used as a system for money laundering.
Chatunga reportedly gained R10 million, just before his father was ousted in a coup through the same method.
“Other tantalising entries in the Caydees books include a “BC Mugabe”, reflecting the initials of Robert Mugabe’s youngest son Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe,” reads the report.
“Thirteen payments totalling just shy of R10-million were made to this individual during the tumultuous lead-up to the ouster of the elder Mugabe from power in November 2017.
“At the time there were outraged news reports of Bellarmine’s extravagant lifestyle in Johannesburg.”
Mugabe’s children are known for being extravagant. During the reign of their father, they would drive flamboyant vehicles and splash thousands of dollars in pubs.
Recently, the nasty divorce between Chatunga’s sister Bona and Simba Chikore revealed that she had shockingly accumulated 23 farms in Zimbabwe.
Mugabe ruled Zimbabwe for 37 unsuccessful years before being overthrown by the current President Emmerson Mnangagwa through a military coup in November 2017.
He died in a Singapore hospital from prostate cancer in 2019.
He was buried in his rural home in Zvimba, much to the disappointment of the current leader who wanted him at the National Heroes Acre for national pride.
