WINDHOEK – The three Chinese nationals arrested for attempting to smuggle 14 rhino horns valued at N$2.3 million out of the country in March this year will plea to the charges on 9 October.
The shortage of prosecutors necessitated the remand when the three appeared in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Li Xiaoliang, 30, Li Zhibing, 53, and Pu Xuexin, 49, were caught with the rhino horns, as well as a leopard skin valued at N$50 000 in their luggage on 23 March at Hosea Kutako International Airport on their way to Hong Kong via Johannesburg.
The three Chinese men who face charges of possession of specially protected resources, allegedly wrapped the rhino horns in plastic and foil and loosely tucked them between clothes in their suitcases.
They were denied bail in May in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court by Magistrate George Mbundu.
In May during the bail hearing Prosecutor Anthony Wilson Wilson argued that Xiaoliang was aware of the contents of the suitcase, because when the police asked him for a key to open it he refused to give it to them and tried to hide it.
Xiaoliang maintained that he was not aware of the contents of the suitcase found in his possession.
The three allegedly left China on 9 March and arrived in Zambia the following day. They then entered Namibia on 12 March through the Wenela border post between Namibia and Zambia on tourist visas, police said.