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A Port Elizabeth woman accused of exporting more than 95 tons of shark and octopus worth millions of rands has been acquitted in the city's magistrates court.
Thirty-six year old Sharmilla Van Heerden of Fisherman Fresh, in the Port Elizabeth harbour, was aquitted on all eight charges on Friday involving more than R7-million.
The State argued that Van Heerden unlawfully exported several thousand kilograms of processed shark fillet and octopus to Australia without an export permit between 2011 and 2013.
The State also claimed that when shipping the product to Australia, Van Heerden did not declare it to the South African Revenue Service.
Her lawyer, Alwyn Griebenow says a preservation order of R10-million obtained by the Asset Forfeiture Unit will now also fall away as a result of her acquittal.
"The magistrate found that on evidence presented to the court, it was clear that Sharmilla Van Heerden did more than what the reasonable person in her circumstances would of done. She went to a freighting agency who gave themselves out as being experts in the field and she was informed by them that an export permit was not required and was not necessary." says Griebenow.
