LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-First defense witness in a wildlife crime case involving a Bin Liu’s father implicated in wildlife crime caseChinese national, Bin Liu told the Lilongwe Magistrate Court on Thursday that the accused’s father and another Chinese man, Toe, own ivory.
Ali Amani, who is Toe’s garden boy, said the two uprooted a fruit tree and hid it in a white sack behind the father’s house in Area 47 Sector 3 in the capital city.
Again, Amani said the time he was commencing his job, he found the skull of an Impala in Liu father’s compound.
“I knew Bin Liu’s father in 2004 as I was one of his employees at his construction company the time they were building new houses at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital,” he added.
And Rahima Issa, second witness for the defense, denied having any knowledge of all the allegations levelled against Liu. She is Liu’s in-law and told the court her sister informed her the day her husband was arrested.
Meanwhile, Liu’s lawyer, Joseph Chiume says his client is innocent of all the allegations and hopes for a speedy winding up of the case.
He says they expect to parade three other witnesses to testify.
Representing the state, Hanna Kamange says she is happy the case has resumed after a year-long delay.
She adds some might think there is no evidence to the case but says the court will hear from the remaining three witnesses.
Meanwhile, High Court Patrick Chirwa, sitting as Chief Resident Magistrate, has adjourned hearing of the case to June 26 2023.
Bin Liu is answering charges of being in posession of 10.250 kilograms of Ivory valued at K9.2 million, Impala skull worth K1.4 million and illegal acquisition of a firearm without a permit.
He was arrested in August 2021 after law enforcement officers conducted a search at his residence in Area 47, Lilongwe, following a tip-off, leading to the discovery of the illegal items.