Maria Amakali
Windhoek-Police investigations into the criminal case involving a pensioner who was arrested for possession of illegal wildlife products last month have not yet been finalised.
Lai Yau Ruan, 80, made an appearance on a charge of unlawful possession of one rhino horn, 60 pieces of ivory, one leopard head skin and a cheetah skin. According to the prosecution, Ruan had no permit authorising such possession of the products and thus is in violation of the Controlled Wildlife and Trade Act.
Making an appearance before Magistrate Vanessa Stanley on Friday, Ruan was informed by the prosecutor Rowan van Wyk that investigations into his case are yet to be finalised, with the state waiting for the laboratory results.
Ruan requested the court to make it a final remand for further police investigations, a request that the court was granted.
Ruan was arrested on January 2 after the police raided a house in Ludwigsdorf, Windhoek. Investigations are yet to reveal if the house in which the contraband was found belongs to Ruan. Given his age and his ailing health, the court released Ruan on bail of N$180,000.
The court postponed the matter to June 28 to give ample time to the police to finalise the ongoing investigations.
The court extended Ruan’s bail on condition he makes an appearance in court as scheduled or risk a warrant of arrest being issued against him and subsequently his bail money forfeited to the
state.