Gaborone – A police officer has been charged with defeating or obstructing the course of justice for failing, or omitting to detect and stop the 18 rhino horns that were last week taken from Namibia to South Africa through the Hosea Kutako International Airport by a Chinese man.
Officer Pendapala Abraham Litula, who appeared before Windhoek Magistrate Victor Nyazo on Wednesday, was on duty operating the luggage scanners when Ye Zhiwei slipped through and boarded the flight that ended with his arrest on arrival at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg last Thursday.
Litula was granted a N$2 000 bail and remanded out of custody pending his next court appearance for trial on February 3, 2017.
Defence lawyer Kadhila Amono argued against custodial remand, saying his client was arrested on “malicious grounds” fanned by recent allegations of “gross misconduct” against airport police details by police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga.
In comments made soon after airport officials revealed that the 18 horns were clearly captured in the CCTV footage of Zhiwei’s exit from Namibia, Ndeitunga alleged that “gross misconduct” or collusion by some members of the airport police unit could have helped the Chinese smuggle the contraband.
Amono said considering that Ndeitunga had alleged “gross misconduct or negligence” the matter could have been resolved through an internal police disciplinary hearing rather than a court of law where he faces criminal charges. Zhiwei is already on trial in South Africa. He faces charges of contravening sections of the Endangered Species Act.
African News Agency