Crimes and Courts
HARARE – A Chinese national residing in Zimbabwe’s capital has been handed an 18-year prison sentence after a Harare court found him guilty of illegally dealing in rhino horns and ivory, in a case highlighting the ongoing battle against wildlife trafficking.
Cong Yanzhong, 57, was convicted on two counts of unlawful possession and trade in prohibited wildlife products following his arrest in July this year.
The Harare Magistrates’ Court heard that detectives, acting on a tip-off received on July 16, 2025, tracked and apprehended Cong after he was spotted carrying a satchel and a carrier bag matching a description provided by an informant.
A search revealed three shrink-wrapped rhinoceros horns weighing 7.7kg, with an estimated street value of US$240,000. Subsequent searches at his residence led to the discovery of four pieces of raw ivory weighing 36.15kg, valued at over US$6,000.
“The accused failed to produce any required permits or licences for the possession of these specimens, leading to his immediate arrest and detention,” a court official stated.
The sentence has been welcomed by conservationists. A representative from a local wildlife trust, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Zim GBC News, “This significant sentence sends a powerful message to poaching syndicates. The illegal wildlife trade remains a critical threat to our endangered species, particularly rhinos and elephants, and we commend the authorities for their work on this case.”
In a separate, unrelated case, a South African High Court in Johannesburg has sentenced seven Chinese nationals to an effective 20 years in prison for human trafficking and labour violations.
The defendants, who ran a cotton sheet factory called Beautiful City in Village Deep, were convicted on 160 charges following a 2019 government inspection.
The court found that the majority of the factory’s staff were illegal immigrants from Malawi, some as young as 15, who were subjected to “horrific” and inhuman working conditions.
The seven individuals convicted are Kevin Tsao Shu-Uei, Chen Hui, Qin Li, Jiaqing Zhou, Ma Biao, Dai Junying, and Zhang Zhilian.
Their convictions include human trafficking, bonded labour, and multiple breaches of South African labour laws. Their company was also fined R300,000.
These cases underscore ongoing legal challenges involving foreign nationals in southern Africa related to organized crime and exploitation.
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