8 children of African Presidents who have been in trouble with the law

Being born into a life of immense power and wealth on the continent has not been enough to shield the sons and daughters of some of the continent's leaders from the law in their own countries.

Allegations against most of them range from corruption and embezzlement to illicit activities, resulting in domestic or international legal scrutiny.

Here are 8 who have been formally charged for various crimes.

1. Robert Mugabe Jr. (Zimbabwe)

Robert Mugabe Jr., son of Zimbabwe's late president Robert Mugabe, was convicted of unlawful drug possession on November 13, 2025.

The 33-year-old pleaded guilty before a Harare magistrate.

The conviction followed an October 2025 arrest, where police found two grams of cannabis (dagga) during a traffic stop.

In mitigation, his legal team submitted that he was a first-time offender and requested a non-custodial sentence.

The request was granted; Mugabe Jr. was fined USD300, which he paid.

2. Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue (Equatorial Guinea)

Teodoro ‘Teodorin’ Nguema Obiang Mangue is Equatorial Guinea's Vice President and son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

In October 2017, a French court convicted him of embezzlement, money laundering, and corruption.

The court found he used public funds to acquire French assets, including a Paris mansion and supercars.

He received a three-year suspended sentence, a 30 million euro suspended fine, and his French assets were ordered seized.

Previously, Obiang settled a 2014 US Department of Justice case, forfeiting over USD30 million in assets, including a Malibu mansion and vehicles.

US authorities alleged these were bought with corruption proceeds.

Switzerland also seized his luxury cars, which were later auctioned.

3. Isabel dos Santos (Angola)

Isabel dos Santos, daughter of Angola's former president José Eduardo dos Santos, was once considered Africa's richest woman.

Her fortune faced scrutiny after her father left office in 2017.

In January 2020, Angolan authorities charged her with embezzlement, money laundering, influence peddling, and fraud from her time as chairwoman of the state oil company, Sonangol.

Prosecutors allege she and associates siphoned over USD1 billion from state funds.

The charges followed the ‘Luanda Leaks,’ an ICIJ investigation based on over 715,000 documents.

The leaks detailed how dos Santos allegedly acquired stakes in Angolan industries through presidential decrees and state-backed deals.

Courts in Angola and Portugal have frozen her assets.

Interpol issued a Red Notice at Angola's request.

Dos Santos denies all allegations, calling them political persecution.

4 & 5. Alaa & Gamal Mubarak (Egypt)

After the 2011 uprising removed President Hosni Mubarak, his sons, Alaa and Gamal Mubarak, faced multiple trials.

They were acquitted of several corruption and insider trading charges but convicted in one case.

In May 2015, an Egyptian court sentenced Hosni Mubarak and his sons to three years in prison for embezzling state funds.

Dubbed the ‘presidential palaces’ case, the investigation found them guilty of diverting over 100 million Egyptian pounds (then ~USD14 million) intended for palace renovations to upgrade their private homes.

They were released, having already served the time in pre-trial detention.

6. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi (Libya)

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, became internationally wanted during the 2011 civil war.

On June 27, 2011, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him for alleged crimes against humanity (murder and persecution).

The charges stem from his alleged role in violently suppressing civilian demonstrations.

Although captured in Libya in November 2011 and sentenced to death in absentia in 2015, the Tripoli trial was widely criticised.

He was later released by a Zintan militia after a reported amnesty.

The ICC warrant remains active; the court's Appeals Chamber confirmed the case admissible in 2020.

7. Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso (Republic of Congo)

Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso, son of Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso, has been investigated in France and the United States.

He is a central figure in the French ‘biens mal acquis’ (ill-gotten gains) investigation, which examines if African ruling families used state funds to buy French luxury assets.

In the US, prosecutors filed a 2020 forfeiture complaint alleging he embezzled millions from the state oil company, SNPC.

The US Department of Justice alleged he used intermediaries to misappropriate public funds and purchase assets, including a Miami penthouse.

8. Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla (South Africa)

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, a politician and daughter of South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma, faces charges of incitement to commit public violence and terrorism.

The charges stem from the July 2021 civil unrest in South Africa, primarily in the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces, which was sparked by her father's imprisonment for contempt of court.

Prosecutors allege her social media posts during the unrest, which led to hundreds of deaths and widespread looting, encouraged the violence.

Her trial is pending, and she denies the charges.