Defence blasts DPP in Ecoplexus case
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has asked the Broadhurst Magistrate Court to freeze the trial of a Chinese national accused in the high-profile Ecoplexus investment fraud case, arguing that proceedings should await the extradition of two additional suspects.
Weng Jiajin, 43, who faces 994 counts of obtaining by false pretences, appeared before Regional Magistrate Mareledi Dipate on Tuesday for a status update. The charges stem from the collapse of the Ecoplexus investment scheme, which allegedly defrauded hundreds of Batswana.
The matter has been plagued by repeated delays since it was first registered, with the defence consistently raising concerns over the pace of investigations and the accused’s constitutional right to a speedy trial.
Jiajin was previously granted P20,000 cash bail after spending nearly 10 months in custody.
His bail conditions required him to surrender all travel documents, reside at an approved address in Gaborone, report regularly to police and refrain from contacting state witnesses.
During an earlier appearance, the DPP sought a further three months to conclude investigations, assuring the court that the additional time would enable prosecutors to determine the way forward.
Defence attorney Mishingo Jeremiah opposed the request, arguing that the matter had been brought before court before investigations had been properly completed.
“We have been here for a long time now. It is apparent that the matter was registered prematurely before thorough investigations were conducted,” Jeremiah submitted.
He argued that the 994 counts remained little more than holding charges while investigations continued, and urged the prosecution to decide whether it intended to proceed with the case.
“No one should compromise my client’s life for almost two years. By the next appearance we should not be repeating the same issues,” he said.
The court nevertheless granted the prosecution the extension while urging the DPP to expedite its investigations.
At Tuesday’s appearance, the DPP informed the court that investigations had now been completed but said it had been unable to serve the defence with witness statements and other trial documents because of technical problems with office equipment. Prosecutors promised to provide the documents by next Thursday or Friday.
The prosecution further revealed that police had located and arrested two additional suspects allegedly linked to the Ecoplexus case.
According to the DPP, Lin Changfeng was arrested in Cameroon while Lin Yanping was arrested in Mauritius, and extradition proceedings are currently underway.
The prosecution argued that Jiajin’s trial should not commence until the two suspects have been extradited to Botswana and brought before the court.
However, Jeremiah strongly opposed the request, questioning why his client should continue waiting despite the state now claiming investigations had been completed.
“You said your investigations are concluded, yet now you do not want to try my client. We do not agree with what the DPP is saying,” Jeremiah argued.
“How can we wait for two suspects when there are no dates attached to the extradition process? The court has not been given any information to rely on. It is not even guaranteed that the extradition proceedings will end in favour of the State.”
Jeremiah submitted that since the matter was registered there had been little meaningful progress and argued that the court could not indefinitely keep the case on the roll without moving it towards trial.
“If my client cannot be tried, then dismiss the charges and let him go home,” he said.
“It is unfair for the DPP to say they cannot proceed without the other two suspects. They have their own charges to answer, and Jiajin has his own charges. There is no good reason before this court to hold my client ransom for suspects who are still being extradited. The state is reluctant to try Jiajin. These games must stop.”
The defence further argued that continued delays infringed Jiajin’s constitutional rights to a trial within a reasonable time and to legal representation.
“My client’s repeated court appearances come at a great financial cost. By the time this trial eventually begins, he may no longer be able to afford legal representation. He has lost his ability to earn a living, he is stuck in Botswana, he is not free, and he has suffered enough,” Jeremiah submitted.
In response, the DPP argued that the court had the power to adjourn proceedings and noted that the accused remained out on bail.
Prosecutors further submitted that nothing prevented Jiajin from attending to his business affairs while awaiting trial.
Jeremiah rejected that argument, saying bail did not erase the prejudice caused by prolonged delays.
“Where is the necessity to postpone a trial that has not even started? You cannot even tell the court when the extradition will take place. Trials should proceed to their logical conclusion. How do you expect my client to recover all the economic losses he has suffered simply because he is on bail?” he asked.
After hearing submissions from both parties, Regional Magistrate Mareledi Dipate postponed the matter to August 27, 2026, when the case is expected to return before the court.
The court is expected to receive an update on the service of disclosure documents and the progress of the extradition proceedings involving the two additional suspects.
