Tuli elephant case will march on: NSPCA

October 28 1999 at 05:17PM

The case against Riccardo Ghiazza and four other men accused of mistreating the controversial Tuli elephants will proceed, the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said on Thursday. 

The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions would serve summonses on Ghiazza, the owner of the juvenile elephants, and the four others on Thursday ordering them to appear in court, NSPCA wildlife co-ordinator Rozanne Savory said. 

The case was removed from the roll at the Brits Magistrate's Court in the North West on Tuesday on a "technicality", she said. 

Savory said the purpose of Tuesday's hearing had been to combine the cases of Ghiazza, Craig Saunders who bought five of the animals, elephant trainer Wayne Stockigt and two Indonesian mahouts. 

All five men allegedly abused the elephants while they were being trained for zoos and safari parks. 

Savory said the cases could not be combined because Ghiazza and Saunders only received their summonses to appear in court last week and claimed on Tuesday that they were in court "improperly". 

She said the five men would appear in the Brits Magistrate's Court on November 22. - Sapa