NANCY SIAME, Lusaka
A 29-YEAR-OLD Chinese businessman has been fined K50,000 for being in illegal possession of over 1,000 logs of the Mukula tree.
Kuang Xingchun of Garden Park Hotel appeared before Lusaka chief resident magistrate Aridah Chuulu and pleaded guilty to the offence.
Particulars of the offence are that Kuang, on dates unknown but between June 2014, and March this year, jointly and whilst acting together with others unknown, did possess biological resources, namely 1,124 logs of timber commonly known as Mukula, without a licence.
Kuang is also facing another case of offering K15,000 to Drug Enforcement Commission officers as an inducement for them to stop pursuing the first case.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge. And testifying against the accused, DEC investigations officer Hussein Khan told the court that on March 25 this year, he received information that Kuang was back in the country and wanted to bribe officers who were investigating the first case so that they could stop doing so.
“The matter was pursued and my colleagues and I drove to Total filling station in Kabulonga to meet Kuang,” Mr Khan said.
Mr Khan said Kuang removed three bundles of K50 notes amounting to K15,000 and when queried what the money was for, he responded that it was a gift to the officers.
“When queried further, he failed to give a satisfactory answer and was taken to our offices where the money was counted and he was arrested for the subject offence,” he said.
Trial in the matter continues.