The seven Chinese nationals charged with illegal possession
of more than 20kg of rhinoceros horn pieces worth $1 million got temporal
reprieve after Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese last Friday
granted an order stopping their trial at the Hwange Magistrates’ Court, pending
review.
Zeng Dengui (35), Peicon Jang (35), Liu Cheng (23), Yu Xian
(25), Yong Zhu (25), Chen Zhiangfu (30) and Qui Jincheng (29) have been in
custody since their arrest on December 23, 2018.
Through their lawyer, Martin Chasakara, the accused denied
charges of money-laundering and possession of rhino horns when they appeared
before regional magistrate Collet Ncube who however, dismissed their
application for discharge at the close of the State’s submissions.
Irked by Ncube’s determination, Chasakara then approached
the High Court seeking a review of the magistrates’ decision and an order for
stay of prosecution.
“Pending the finalisation of this matter, the applicants
(seven suspects) be and are hereby granted the following relief; that the
proceedings in CRB HWN 50-6/19 be and are hereby stayed pending the return date
of the provisional order,” Justice Makonese ruled.
During the trial, the State represented by Martha Cheda and
Memory Munsaka led evidence from police officers and investigators from the
Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.
Allegations against the seven are that on December 23, they
were found, at their rented apartment in Victoria Falls, in possession of
several pieces of rhinoceros horns weighing 20,98kg valued at $938 700. This
was after police had received a tip-off and raided the house.
The search led to the recovery of plastic bags hidden under
the bed containing both semi and processed rhino horns which had been cut into
small pieces. Other pieces had been placed in a silver suitcase.
Detectives also recovered a portable digital scale. Newsday
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