Illegal horn trading suspect dies in prison
The cause of death is not known at this stage
A man awaiting trial on charges relating to illegal rhino horn trading and corruption died in the Krugersdorp Correctional Centre hospital on Tuesday, 6 September.
Remand detainee Zhiqing Miao is a Chinese national who was admitted to the correctional centre last year on 7 December when he was 43 years old. He was due to appear in the Roodepoort Regional Court on 25 November 2016.
The cause of death is not known at this stage.
“The standard operating procedures dictate that when an offender has passed on in any of the correctional facilities, the family or the next of kin must be informed immediately,” Ofentse Morwane, Gauteng Correctional Services spokesperson said. Miao’s body was taken to a government mortuary where an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
“The Department of Correctional Services is committed to ensuring that its high standard of safety and security of both offenders and officials is maintained at all its correctional centres.”
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