Suspected Ecoplexus kingpin walks as defence blames mystery Ling
Troubled Chinese businessman, Weng Jiajing, 43, breathed a sigh of relief last week after Broadhurst Regional Magistrate Mareledi Dipate granted him a P20,000 cash bail.
Jiajin who is at the centre of the controversial Ecoplexus Ponzi scheme, and facing 994 counts of obtaining by false pretences, finally walked out of remand on Wednesday, ending a tense week following his bail application last Monday.
Magistrate Dipate, after carefully weighing heated submissions from both the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the defence team, ruled that arguments concerning Jiajing’s prolonged detention, the inconsistencies in the State’s filings, and the absence of sufficient grounds to sustain continued remand, justified releasing him under strict conditions.
In handing down the decision, the court set stringent bail terms, stating that the accused must provide two Batswana sureties, each paying P10,000, and reside strictly within Gaborone at an address approved by the court and that all his travel documents must be surrendered to the Serious Crime Squad, where he must report every two weeks on Fridays.
The magistrate also barred him from interacting with state witnesses, especially his former employees, and prohibited him from travelling outside Botswana unless for emergencies or medical reasons.
He was further cautioned not to be involved in any similar offences. The matter was scheduled to return to court on January 29, 2026, for a status update.
The decision followed a fiery bail hearing last week, during which defence attorney Mishingo Jeremiah fiercely criticised the DPP for what he termed “ambush tactics,” after receiving the prosecution’s answering affidavit only on the morning of the hearing. Jeremiah argued this unfairly crippled the defence and violated principles of justice.
The DPP rejected these claims, asserting that the investigation was still ongoing and that calling the Investigating Officer to the stand as the defence demanded, would be premature.
Jeremiah passionately told the court that his client’s almost ten-month incarceration had severely damaged his business ventures in Botswana and Tanzania and placed immense emotional and financial strain on him. He emphasised that the accused had been detained since 22 January 2025, yet the State’s investigation had stalled. He insisted his client was not a flight risk, supporting his claim with detailed travel records from 2021 to 2025.
The defence further argued that witness statements redirected suspicion away from Jiajin toward a man identified as Ling.
Former employee Onalethata Moagi alleged that Ling impersonated Jiajin’s brother and instructed her to register several SIM cards and open bank accounts in exchange for cash.
Another witness, Mbigasi Dirang, said he had opened multiple accounts for Ling and was rewarded with an Altezza vehicle, later discovering irregular transactions linked to those accounts.
A third witness, Boitumelo Dirang, reported that she and her family were recruited by Ling to open accounts to “make easy money.” Jeremiah stressed that none of the witness statements directly implicated his client in fraudulent activities, contending that investigators were pursuing the wrong man.
The DPP countered by describing the Ecoplexus matter as a “deep, intricate financial maze” involving layers of company structures and complex monetary flows requiring time to unravel.
They reiterated that the accused posed a flight risk, claiming he left Botswana in May 2023 amid public outrage before being traced to Tanzania.
They warned that releasing him could expose key witnesses to intimidation.
Speaking to The Voice after today’s ruling, defence attorney Kesego Malete expressed relief, noting that her client struggled in prison due to unfamiliar food and conditions.
“The court ruled in our favour, and our client is finally free from the pressure of remand custody. It has been extremely stressful for him,” she said.
Malete vowed to continue preparing rigorously for what she expects to be a challenging trial, insisting the defence would prove that investigators are pursuing the wrong suspect.
Outside the courtroom, a visibly elated Sam Jiajin, the accused’s brother, said, “I am very happy my brother is out on bail. Botswana’s justice system is fair, and the lawyers here are very good,” he said excitedly.
