Zambian link claimed in smuggling case

A Chinese businessman living in Zambia has been fingered as the person who handed over two suitcases filled with 14 rhino horns and one leopard skin to the three Chinese nationals that were arrested at Hosea Kutako International Airport for smuggling. Li Xiaoliang, Li Zhibing and Pu Xuexin are charged with the possession and export of controlled wildlife products. Li Zhibing, 52, yesterday cried on the witness stand when he testified in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura. “I am really afraid. This is my first time encountering something like this. I honestly did not know what was in the suitcases. I just tried to help a friend. I really hope that I can get bail to contact my family back home. This is my first time in prison, being apprehended,” he said while sobbing. He told the court it was a friend of his from Zambia, Wu Zang, who had given him the two suitcases filled with rhino horns at a hotel in Windhoek. He said he and his co-accused left China on March 9 and arrived in Zambia the following day, where they stayed with Wu Zang for two days. During their stay Wu Zang never once mentioned the rhino horns or suitcases, Li Zhibing said. They then entered Namibia through the Wenela border post - between Namibia and Zambia - on March 12 after being granted tourist visas. According to Li Zhibing the two suitcases were given to him at a hotel parking lot in Windhoek on the evening of March 23 - a day before they were supposed to go back to China. According to Li Zhibing, Wu Zang offered him U$3 000 (N$30 000) to take the two suitcases to Shanghai, but he would only receive the money upon arrival at the airport in China, where somebody would take the suitcases from him. Li Zhibing said the suitcases were locked and he did not have the keys. He said Li Xiaoliang had to help carry the suitcases, because they were very heavy, with each one weighing approximately 20 kg. State prosecutor Anthony Wilson put it to Li Zhibing that he knew what was in the suitcases and that is why Wu Zang offered to pay him money. Li Zhibing denied this. He said that Wu Zang is a business man and always sends things to China, and he did not consider the suitcases suspicious. “I was arrested because I helped my friend carry rhino horns,” Li Zhibing said. Li Zhibing initially told the court the police had forcefully opened the suitcases at the airport. However, he later said although he did not have any keys, Pu Xuexin had similar keys which were used in the end to open the suitcases. Wilson said he found this hard to believe. Li Zhibing said he saw the rhino horns for the first time when the suitcases were opened and it was Li Xiaoliang who had identified them. Wilson said he opposes bail, as it would not be in the interest of justice to release the suspects. The case was postponed until today after a power outage at court.