Lyu Tao, the alleged kingpin in an ongoing illegal online gambling case involving foreign nationals, has withdrawn his application for bail. The matter was pending in the High Court. Tao’s legal representative, Ben J. Simelane, moved an application to withdraw the bail application before High Court Judge Zonke Magagula.
Simelane told the court that Tao’s trial is scheduled to take place in two weeks. He said it would serve no purpose to proceed with the bail matter in parallel to the trial, adding that Tao may re-enroll for bail if the trial does not proceed. The State prosecutors opposed did not oppose the application, and the court granted the withdrawal by consent.
Tao is a citizen of the People’s Republic of China. Based on the amended charge sheet, he faces charges under the Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (Prevention) Act, illegal gambling, and violations of immigration laws.
In the first count, together with 84 other accused persons, Tao is charged with unlawfully acquiring or possessing E200 000. This is alleged to have occurred on February 5, 2026, in Mbabane.
In count two, relating to money laundering, on February 16, Tao and the co-accused are alleged to have acquired E508 000 through unlawful means. In the third count, Tao is accused of engaging in unauthorized gaming activities in the capital city during February and March 2026. He is also accused of violating the Immigration Act. It is alleged that on March 11, 2026, he unlawfully remained in Eswatini at the Castle Hotel without a valid permit.
Lastly, on March 11, 2026, at the Castle Hotel, Tao is accused of engaging in trade or business without the necessary authorization. The charge sheet covers 168 counts in total. Although Tao is reportedly central to the joint charges at the beginning of the charge sheet, the majority of the counts do not involve him personally. In fact, 163 counts exclude him.
The counts in which Tao does not appear, from counts six through 168, mainly consist of individualized immigration charges against the remaining 84 accused persons. Each subsequent accused person faces two specific counts similar to Tao’s counts four and five: one for remaining in the country without a permit and another for engaging in unauthorized business.
His co-accused are citizens of Mainland China, Taiwan, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia, among others. They have been in custody since their arrest. The accused persons made their first court appearances at the Mbabane Magistrates Court on March 13, 2026. In his bail application, Tao told the court that he was in the process of establishing an electric car business in Eswatini.
