Re: Rhino Poaching: Arrests, Prosecutions & Sentencing
Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 2:17 pm
Province’s most-wanted back behind bars
Mthobisi Lenox Ngwenyama, an alleged rhino poacher, robber and killer, was arrested on Wednesday.
8 hours ago
HAZYVIEW – Mthobisi Lenox Ngwenyama, one of the province’s most-wanted suspects, was arrested in Shabalala Trust on Wednesday morning. This alleged poacher, robber and murderer was at large for two weeks after he escaped from the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court.
It is believed that he shot and killed the detective who landed him in prison during this time.
On the day of his escape, he was facing charges of housebreaking, theft, robbery and robbery with aggravating circumstances. The crimes were all allegedly committed in KaBokweni. Ngwenyama and four other men were also arrested and charged for the poaching of Sabi, a rhino calf, in his boma in Care for Wild Africa in 2014.
On Wednesday May 13, Ngwenyama and three other prisoners overpowered a court orderly who was escorting them to the holding cells. They ran out of the building and made off in different directions. Three of the men were arrested shortly afterwards, but Ngwenyama had disappeared. A week later, the investigating officer in one of the cases against Ngwenyama was murdered. Const Joseph Baloyi (35) was shot seven times and died in his vehicle at his house in KaBokweni late that afternoon. The suspect fled, but eyewitnesses provided the police with a description that fitted that of Ngwenyama. It was presumed that he escaped from the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court to hunt down Baloyi.
According to Hawks’ spokesman Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi, an investigation revealed that Ngwenyama had more names on his hit list, including members of the Hawks. “We secured the safety of our unit’s members by increasing security measures,” he said. The Hawks’ all-out war on Ngwenyama ended when they arrested him on Wednesday morning.
“He was alone in a house in the Hazyview area at the time of his arrest,” said Mudlaudzi. Provincial SAPS spokesman Brig Selvy Mohlala reportedly claimed that Ngwenyama was sleeping when the police broke the front door down. He then tried to hide in a closet and attempted to jump through a window before he was arrested. Community members reported seeing Ngwenyama arriving at the Pienaar Police Station at 17:00.
Lowvelder approached Mohlala for confirmation of the details of the arrest, which he refused to give. “I had a miscommunication with another journalist. That is where this information came from. I cannot comment on the case,” he said.
Mulaudzi refrained from providing any additional comments in the case and labelled Mohlala’s comments as “out of order”. “The investigation is not complete. There are still some things outstanding and providing any additional information may jeopardise the police’s case,” he said. Ngwenyama will appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court today.
http://lowvelder.co.za/272078/provinces ... hind-bars/
Mthobisi Lenox Ngwenyama, an alleged rhino poacher, robber and killer, was arrested on Wednesday.
8 hours ago
HAZYVIEW – Mthobisi Lenox Ngwenyama, one of the province’s most-wanted suspects, was arrested in Shabalala Trust on Wednesday morning. This alleged poacher, robber and murderer was at large for two weeks after he escaped from the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court.
It is believed that he shot and killed the detective who landed him in prison during this time.
On the day of his escape, he was facing charges of housebreaking, theft, robbery and robbery with aggravating circumstances. The crimes were all allegedly committed in KaBokweni. Ngwenyama and four other men were also arrested and charged for the poaching of Sabi, a rhino calf, in his boma in Care for Wild Africa in 2014.
On Wednesday May 13, Ngwenyama and three other prisoners overpowered a court orderly who was escorting them to the holding cells. They ran out of the building and made off in different directions. Three of the men were arrested shortly afterwards, but Ngwenyama had disappeared. A week later, the investigating officer in one of the cases against Ngwenyama was murdered. Const Joseph Baloyi (35) was shot seven times and died in his vehicle at his house in KaBokweni late that afternoon. The suspect fled, but eyewitnesses provided the police with a description that fitted that of Ngwenyama. It was presumed that he escaped from the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court to hunt down Baloyi.
According to Hawks’ spokesman Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi, an investigation revealed that Ngwenyama had more names on his hit list, including members of the Hawks. “We secured the safety of our unit’s members by increasing security measures,” he said. The Hawks’ all-out war on Ngwenyama ended when they arrested him on Wednesday morning.
“He was alone in a house in the Hazyview area at the time of his arrest,” said Mudlaudzi. Provincial SAPS spokesman Brig Selvy Mohlala reportedly claimed that Ngwenyama was sleeping when the police broke the front door down. He then tried to hide in a closet and attempted to jump through a window before he was arrested. Community members reported seeing Ngwenyama arriving at the Pienaar Police Station at 17:00.
Lowvelder approached Mohlala for confirmation of the details of the arrest, which he refused to give. “I had a miscommunication with another journalist. That is where this information came from. I cannot comment on the case,” he said.
Mulaudzi refrained from providing any additional comments in the case and labelled Mohlala’s comments as “out of order”. “The investigation is not complete. There are still some things outstanding and providing any additional information may jeopardise the police’s case,” he said. Ngwenyama will appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court today.
http://lowvelder.co.za/272078/provinces ... hind-bars/
