Pu hid in toilet

A police officer based at Hosea Kutako International Airport says he found one of the Chinese nationals standing trial in Namibia’s biggest rhino-horn smuggling case hiding in a toilet, sitting with his feet on top of the toilet. Li Xiaoliang, Li Zhibing, Pu Xuexin and Wang Hui appeared in the Windhoek Regional Court in Katutura yesterday for the continuation of their trial. They were arrested when trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns worth more than N$2.3 million and a leopard skin of N$50 000 out of Namibia last year. Constable John Haoseb yesterday testified about the discovery of the rhino horns and leopard skin in two suitcases at Hosea Kutako International Airport on March 24 last year. Haoseb said he was working the morning shift from 06:00 to 14:00 and he was on his way to the luggage area when Warrant Officer Wilhelmina Shetunyenga called him. Shetunyenga previously testified that Li Zhibing ad Li Xiaoliang were questioned about their luggage after suspicious objects were detected in their suitcases. Haoseb says upon arrival at the luggage area Li Xiaoliang and Li Zhibing were both with Shetunyenga, who instructed him to search their suitcases. “I asked the accused to provide keys because the bags were locked, but Li Xiaoliang said they did not have keys for the bags.” Li Xiaoliang told them that the keys were “outside with the boss in the parking area”. Haoseb said he then went with Li Xiaoliang to the parking lot to look for the “boss”, but Li Xiaoliang then said: “The boss is not here.” They returned to the luggage screening area and Shetunyenga told Haoseb to force open the bags. He testified that Li Xiaoliang agreed to that. “I used my pocketknife, which is my key holder, to break open the zips,” said Haoseb, showing the small key-ring knife in court. He then demonstrated to court how he opened the suitcases, saying that he first opened the blue suitcase and found 10 rhino horns wrapped in clothing and plastic. Haoseb said the same process was followed with the silver suitcase, in which a leopard skin and four rhino horns were found. “I asked who the owner of the contents was and Li Xiaoliang kept saying ‘the boss’.” Haoseb said Shetunyenga then recalled that the two men had been in the company of another Chinese man in the departure hall and thought he might be the “boss” they were referring to. Haoseb was then ordered to look for the third Chinese national in the departure hall, which was empty after passengers had boarded two flights to Johannesburg. Haoseb said he first checked the restaurant but found only employees there, and then went to the men’s toilet. “There are three cubicles and only one was occupied. I knocked at the one, but no one answered,” said Haoseb. “I looked under the door, but did not see anyone. I needed to find a way to see inside, so I went to the next vacant cubicle and stood on top of toilet to look inside,” said Haoseb. “I found the accused, Pu Xuexin, there sitting with his feet on top of the toilet- not the way you would be sitting on a toilet. He was fully dressed on top of the toilet.” Haoseb says Pu opened the door and was taken to the search room where the others were. Defence lawyer Orben Sibeya wanted to know why Haoseb never mentioned anything about Pu in his original statement or the fact that he was found hiding in a toilet. Hoaseb said that in his statement he had concentrated on the contents of the bags. Asked what he thought Pu was doing in the toilet, Hoaseb said he must have been hiding there. “Why would someone be hiding if something is not wrong? He must be hiding from something. If he was not involved why would he not have boarded his flight and hide? I did not say [so] in my statement but he involved himself with hiding in the toilet.” State prosecutor Simba Nduna handed in as evidence bank account statements indicating a N$25 000 payment made by Wang Hui to Sure Ritz Travel for flight tickets for the other three accused. Another new piece of evidence handed in was a statement made by P. Geng, the regular gambler who had booked rooms for Li Xiaoliang, Li Zhibing and Pu Xuexin at the Windhoek Country Club Casino and Resort using casino points. Geng had apparently booked the rooms on the instruction of Wang. It is expected that the State will call at least three more witnesses to testify. Chief Inspector Barry de Klerk of the police’s Protective Resources Unit is likely to testify today. ELLANIE SMIT