Alleged online gambling kingpin Lyu Tao has withdrawn his bail application as he prepares to stand trial on charges of money laundering, illegal gambling and immigration-related offences.
Tao is among 85 foreign nationals facing prosecution in the ongoing illegal online gambling case. His bail application was pending before the High Court when his attorney Ben Simelane applied for its withdrawal before Judge Zonke Magagula.
Simelane told the court that the trial was expected to commence within two weeks and that proceeding with the bail application while awaiting trial would serve little purpose.
He said Tao reserved the right to re-enrol the bail application should the trial fail to proceed as scheduled.
The court subsequently granted the withdrawal by consent of both parties.
Tao has pleaded not guilty to charges arising from an alleged illegal online gambling syndicate said to have been operating in Mbabane.
According to the amended charge sheet, Tao and his 84 co-accused face charges under the Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (Prevention) Act, gambling legislation and the Immigration Act.
The accused are alleged to have unlawfully acquired or possessed E200 000 in Mbabane on February 5. Prosecutors further allege that they acquired E508 000 through unlawful means on February 16 in what has been described as a money-laundering scheme.
Tao is also accused of engaging in unauthorised gaming activities in Mbabane between February and March this year.
In addition, he faces charges of remaining in the country without a valid permit while staying at Castle Hotel on March 11 and allegedly conducting business activities without the required authorisation on the same date.
While the charge sheet contains 168 counts, Tao is directly linked to only the first five charges. The remaining 163 counts relate mainly to alleged immigration violations involving the other accused persons.
The co-accused are nationals of several countries including China, Taiwan, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia. They have remained in custody since their arrest and first appearance before the Mbabane Magistrate’s Court on March 13.
In his founding affidavit in support of bail, Tao denied the allegations against him and maintained that he had travelled to Eswatini to establish an electric vehicle business. He sought release pending trial but the Crown opposed the application.
