Rhino Poaching: Arrests, Prosecutions & Sentencing

[Lisbeth]

I did not remember if it had already started.

[Richprins]

KNP ranger gets his day in court
Rodney Landela (35), the KNP regional ranger accused of rhino poaching, appeared in the Skukuza Regional Court last week.
10 hours ago

Mariana Balt


SKUKUZA – Rodney Landela (35), regional ranger of the Kruger National Park (KNP), and Kenneth Motshotsho (44) from the park’s veterinary science department,appeared in the Skukuza Regional Court last week on charges related to poaching a white rhino in the Kingfisherspruit area.

Adv Ansie Venter prosecuted, with magistrate Dr Dries Lamprecht on the bench.

Sgt Lucky Ndlovu, a trained ranger and tracker with 25 years’ experience, testified for the state and explained how and where the ranger team was operating on 27 July 27 when they heard shots in Section 37 of the area. They noticed people walking, as well as a white bakkie driving away and found Landela, as well as Motshotsho driving around in a similar vehicle, in the vicinity.

Ndlovu testified that two of the rangers found a rhino carcass and that tracks were found in a firebreak, with footprints between the tracks and the carcass. When Landela and Motshotsho arrived at the scene later, Ndlovu realised that the footprints and tracks matched theirs and their vehicle’s and became concerned.

“I thought maybe they shot the rhino by accident,” an emotional Ndlovu testified. He said by the time a ranger from Satara, police and a team from the Environmental Crime Investigation unit, as well as the park’s helicopter arrived at the scene, Landela was pacing around, looking “unhappy, not as usual”.

When he went back to the area where he encountered Motshotsho, he noticed from the pattern of the tracks that a vehicle stopped along the way and started again, with footprints indicating that one person moved between the driver’s side, a back door and the veld.

He reported to the team at the carcass, upon which the police came to his aid. Following the footprints, they spotted goods which Ndlovu identified as “gifts to rangers”. He noticed again that the footprints matched those of Motshotho’s shoes.

He also noticed that Landela did not wear the same shoes as earlier any more.

The court will do a site visit on November 6 and the two accused will appear again on November 9 and 10.

https://lowvelder.co.za/405722/knp-rang ... day-court/

[Richprins]

Day of the rhino celebrated amidst justice for poaching
The South African Police Service announced last week that 18 suspects were recently arrested and one fatally wounded while five others involved in rhino poaching were found guilty and sentenced.
7 hours ago

Suspects have been arrested in Skhukuza, Hluhluwe, Barberton, KwaMsane, Nongoma and Gluckstadt. Two rhino horns, eight unlicensed firearms, ammunition, two silencers, a scope, an axe, a knife, two cellphones and two motor vehicles were recovered during the various operations.

Most of the suspects have since appeared in various courts on charges of unlawful possession of arms and ammunition, possession of dangerous weapon, trespassing, hunting a protected animal, kidnapping, assault, possession of rhino horns and/or possession of suspected stolen property.

More accused have also been found guilty and sentenced in the Skukuza Regional Court. Read more here https://lowvelder.co.za/405206/405206/ and here

As the world celebrated World Rhino Day on Friday, South African National Parks (SANParks) CEO Fundisile Mketeni has called on law enforcement agencies, communities, neighbouring countries and other stakeholders to join hands to stop the pillaging of these animals which are important in the ecosystem. “Our rangers are doing their best inside the park but we need to replicate their efforts outside our parks to disrupt criminal activities,” he said.

Mketeni said the poaching statistics for the Kruger National Park (KNP) currently stands at 243 rhino for this year. “Despite a slight decrease in the number poached nationally, we are still losing rhinos. The increasing number of successful arrests and steeper sentences meted out by the courts on suspects convicted of poaching activities recently, is however encouraging.”

He said the 90 suspected poachers were arrested in KNP this year with increased cooperation from the public. He hinted that those involved in wildlife crime live in ordinary neighbourhoods and should be identifiable through their lifestyles. “We need to expose these selfish people. We all need to defend our heritage with everything we have and stand together to stop the killing,” he urged.

https://lowvelder.co.za/406067/day-rhin ... -poaching/

[micheal3]

Johannesburg - A Mozambican rhino poacher caught at the Kruger National Park has been jailed for 20 years. Poachers have killed more than 7 100 rhinos across Africa over the past decade.
Rhino horns are highly prized in Asia, where they are mistakenly believed to have medicinal powers.

[Lisbeth]

[nan]

more than 7000

[Lisbeth]

It is not possible, somebody is exaggerating

[PennyinSA]

Rodney Landlela was granted bail yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Richprins]

How on earth does this happen???

[H. erectus]

Quite easily RP, with money being the main prerogative in life
all situations become negotiable!!!