Prosecution gets more time to probe 'Ivory Queen' case

The trial in Tanzania of the Chinese businesswoman, Yang Feng Glan also known as the ‘Ivory Queen’ has been adjourned to June 20.

The move is to allow more time to further investigate the million dollar smuggling case involving the 66-year-old.

The state prosecutor told the court during a preliminary hearing that the Director of Public Prosecution had detected shortfalls in the investigations and had ordered further investigations to gather more evidence from their foreign counterparts.

“Under such circumstances, your honour, we pray for another mention date to enable us to complete the investigation process. This is a complicated case and we need to conduct thorough investigations for the interests of justice,” the Tanzanian Daily News website quoted the state attorney as saying.

But the lawyer for the accused expressed his displeasure at the directive by the Director of Public Prosecution which he says amounts to an abuse of his client’s rights since she has been in jail for almost a year, reports The Citizen news website.

Yang Feng Glan who was arrested in September 2015 is facing several charges including leading organised crime and trading in 706 elephant tusks worth 2.5 million dollars between January 2000 and May 2004.

She is considered the most notorious ivory trafficker to have been arrested in east Africa.

Glan who has lived in Tanzania since the 1970s is said to have been running a sophisticated supply chain between east Africa and China for about ten years.

She has pleaded not guilty to the charges proffered against her but could face up to 20 years in jail if convicted.

News Agencies