Rhino horn suspect absconds
A Chinese man accused of dealing in controlled wildlife products with a combined value of N$320 000 yesterday failed to turn up for court proceedings.
The fugitive is 38-year-old Zhi Geng, who was arrested on 1 February last year on charges of dealing in 1.5kg of rhino horn valued at N$232 000 and abalone valued at N$91 000.
His lawyer, Kadhila Amoomo, told Windhoek Magistrate Mwilima Mwilima that he did not know where his client was.
“I tried to contact him but his mobile phone was off,” Amoomo said.
Mwilima issued a warrant of arrest again and ordered that Geng's bail of N$250 000 be cancelled and forfeited to the state. The case was postponed to 21 September.
State prosecutor Tatelo Cuthbert Lusepani informed the court that the prosecutor-general had decided that the fugitive and his co-accused, James Barron Wallace, must be put on trial on charges of unlawful dealing in controlled wildlife products, alternatively illegal possession of uncontrolled wildlife products, unlawful export of game products and possession of illicit goods for illicit dealing. The case against Wallace was postponed to 21 January 2018 for plea and trial.
FRED GOEIEMAN
The fugitive is 38-year-old Zhi Geng, who was arrested on 1 February last year on charges of dealing in 1.5kg of rhino horn valued at N$232 000 and abalone valued at N$91 000.
His lawyer, Kadhila Amoomo, told Windhoek Magistrate Mwilima Mwilima that he did not know where his client was.
“I tried to contact him but his mobile phone was off,” Amoomo said.
Mwilima issued a warrant of arrest again and ordered that Geng's bail of N$250 000 be cancelled and forfeited to the state. The case was postponed to 21 September.
State prosecutor Tatelo Cuthbert Lusepani informed the court that the prosecutor-general had decided that the fugitive and his co-accused, James Barron Wallace, must be put on trial on charges of unlawful dealing in controlled wildlife products, alternatively illegal possession of uncontrolled wildlife products, unlawful export of game products and possession of illicit goods for illicit dealing. The case against Wallace was postponed to 21 January 2018 for plea and trial.
FRED GOEIEMAN
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