South African rhino horn syndicate suspects will find out Friday if their case will be postponed.
South African rhino horn syndicate suspects George Fletcher, Gert Saaiman, and Frans van Deventer must now wait until Friday, October 15th to find out if their case will be postponed. The trio’s attorneys responded by claiming that the criminal trial is disrupting their clients’ businesses and personal lives, and have asked the North Gauteng High Court to withdraw the charges until the State is ready to proceed.
The defense attorneys said that postponing the trial is a violation of their clients’ rights to a “fair and speedy” trial, and also complained that their clients had “already been judged” by the media.
Prosecution asks for trial postponement
Today it was made public that the prosecution’s star witness, Gideoen van Deventer, had decided not to testify because of threats made against his family. It was also disclosed that a former investigative officer on the case had been offered bribes to change his own testimony. The State says it needs more time to prepare and has asked that the trial be postponed.
A postponement decision is expected on Friday, according to South Africa’s Eyewitness News.
In the meantime, lawyers for Fletcher, Saaiman, and van Deventer, have asked that the court withdraw the charges against their clients, whose lives have been disrupted by the proceedings.
The lawyers for the accused said their clients’ businesses are being put at risk and their personal lives have been put on hold until the outcome of this trial.
The suspects apparently appeared encouraged by their attorneys’ arguments against the witness intimidation claims.
George Fletcher, Gerhardus Saaiman and Frans van Deventer hung their heads as the State outlined its intimidation claims but their confidence returned after their lawyers made convincing arguments against this.
Although the star witness has backed out, two convicted members of the syndicate, Pieter Swart and Nicholaas van Deventer, are expected to testify against Fletcher (Sandhurst Safaris), Saaiman (Saaiman Hunting Safaris), and the third van Deventer brother.
Profiting from illegal trade in rhino horn
The alleged Fletcher-Saaiman syndicate is believed to be responsible for slaughtering at least 19 rhinos, including three calves, in order to profit from the illegal rhino horn trade.
Multiple charges have been brought against the rhino horn syndicate suspects, including racketeering, money laundering, various counts of theft, malicious damage to property and contraventions of the various provincial Conservation Acts and the Aviation Act.
Earlier this year, the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) was granted authority to seize over R40 million in properties belonging to the suspects, including a helicopter and small airplane.
Illegal rhino horn destined for China and Vietnam
Rhino poaching has returned to South Africa with a vengeance and the illegal rhino horn business is booming. The killing has reached a 16-year high, with more than 600 rhinos slaughtered since 2005.
Helicopters, tranquilizer darts, and chainsaws are the tools of the trade for well-funded rhino horn syndicates. Rhinos are darted from the helicopter and then the horn is removed with a chainsaw, cutting into the rhino’s skull, often while the rhino is still alive. The rhino is then left to die a slow and painful death.
Illegal rhino horn is still in high demand for traditional medicines in China and Vietnam, despite the fact that rhino horn has been extensively analyzed and found to be of no medicinal value.
Most rhino horn leaving southern Africa is destined for China and Vietnam, according to the latest research by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network.
Source: Eyewitness News
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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