Rhino Poaching: Arrests, Prosecutions & Sentencing

[Toko]

Shocking and this is not the first time we are hearing of something like this

[Flutterby]

[Sprocky]

2013-08-05 18:18

Mahikeng - Eight men have been arrested in connection with rhino poaching in North West, the province's conservation and tourism spokesperson Dumisa Seshabela said on Monday.

Two were caught in Botsalano Game Reserve on Friday after they were found in possession of a rifle and a small firearm and could not produce licences for the weapons. Their vehicle had also been reported stolen.

The other six were taken into custody last month after they were caught in Potchefstroom along the N12 with a rifle, pangas, and saws. They were still in custody.

The arrests were made in a provincial operation around Highveld Nature Reserve and Botsalano Game Reserve, Seshabela said in a statement.

"The operation came as a result of an increase in the number of rhino poached in the province this year," she said.

The operation was a partnership between the department and police.

Conservation and tourism MEC Motlalepula Rosho commended the rangers for the arrests, and urged people to report poaching.

"As government we are working around the clock to arrest perpetrators," said Rosho.

A total of 57 rhino had been killed in North West province this year.

The province had increased the number of rangers and security as part of its intervention strategy.

- SAPA

[Sprocky]

2013-08-12 16:22

Johannesburg - Two men believed to be rhino poachers were arrested in the Zululand Rhino Reserve (ZRR) in northern KwaZulu-Natal, the reserve's management said on Monday.

The two were caught on Friday after rangers were alerted of their plan, ZRR manager Dave Robertson said.

The men, both Nigerians, were found in possession of a rifle, 10 rounds of ammunition, and an axe.

They were handed over to police in Mkuze.

The Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal commended the rangers for the arrests.

DA MPL Radley Keys urged conservation officials to ensure that efforts to combat poaching were encouraged.

- SAPA

[Tshukudu]

Mpuma rhino poacher jailed

August 15 2013 at 08:39pm

Nelspruit - A man was sentenced in effect to 14 years in prison for poaching by the Nelspruit Regional Court on Thursday.

A Sapa correspondent reported that rangers arrested 21-year-old Leonard Mhlongo, from Mozambique, and his co-accused Kenneth Sibiya, in the Mjokwane section of the Kruger National Park (KNP) on January 19.

They had killed and dehorned a black rhino cow and its calf.

Prosecutor Isbet Erwee told the court the two men were found in possession of three black rhino horns, two from the cow and one from its calf. She said a third suspect, who carried the rifle used in the killing, escaped when the two men were arrested.

The two faced charges of entering the KNP to commit a restricted activity without obtaining permission from management, and two charges of performing a restricted activity in a designated area.

“The other accused, Sibiya, skipped bail and has disappeared. Police are tracking his whereabouts,” Erwee said.

In a statement read out in court, Mhlongo, who worked in Mozambique and earned 3700 meticals (about R1230) per month, said Sibiya fetched him from home and invited him to come work in South Africa.

“I did unlawfully cross and enter the border into the Kruger National Park with Sibiya. After we met up with another man inside the park, it was when I realised what they wanted us to do,” he said.

“I had no authority to kill the two rhinos and I request the court for a fine as I plan to raise R20 000 to pay,” he said.

In passing sentence, magistrate Edward Hall said that according to Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa, if no solution was found to stop the killing of rhinos, there would be none left in the country by 2026.

“It is a nationwide problem as we read in newspapers every day. The accused is from Mozambique and a second one skipped bail, which shows the attitude of poachers.

“To enter illegally in the KNP with a firearm is a planned criminal activity. The calf could have been saved and been there for generations to come, but it was killed together with its mother,” Hall said.

Hall said the number of rhino killed in the current year to August exceeded last year’s figure by 140.

He sentenced Mhlongo to four years in prison for entering the KNP illegally, 10 years for killing the rhino cow, and eight years for killing the calf. The eight years would run concurrently with the 10 years. Mhlongo was declared unfit to own a firearm.

Sapa

[Flutterby]

Warrant issued for suspected rhino poacher

Sapa | 22 August, 2013 16:35

A warrant of arrest has been issued for a suspected rhino poacher who failed to appear in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Thursday, a Sapa correspondent reported.

Magistrate Eddie Hall issued the warrant for Zwelithini Maphanga, who was arrested along with Tshepo Malambe and Mike Mkansi on suspicion of illegally hunting a rhino in the Kruger National Park in 2011.

Malambe and Mkansi were present in court on Thursday.

Maphanga's lawyer told the court he did not know his client's whereabouts.

Hall said: "During the previous court appearance, Mkansi was not present. It seems the accused are taking turns being absent.

"Maphanga's bail amount will now be forfeited to the State and a warrant for his arrest will be issued."

Malambe was remanded in custody while Mkansi's bail was extended with a warning that he appear again on September 16.

In a separate case in the same court, three suspected poachers also appeared on charges of illegally hunting a rhino.

Sifiso Lephoko, David Mawelele, and Daniel Dlamini were arrested in the Stoltznek section of the park in March 2011.

Prosecutor Isabet Erwee told the court that Dlamini and Mawelele were currently serving time for other crimes while Lephoko was on bail.

The matter was postponed to September 16.

In a third case, Jonas Makhubela, who was arrested for illegal hunting in the park early this year, told the court he was prepared to plead guilty.

Hall told him a legal aid lawyer has been appointed to help him with his plea bargain.

"Your attorney will assist you in the procedure to be followed and you should tell him everything you need the court to know regarding your case."

The case was postponed to September 5 for the defence to prepare the confession statement.

[Mel]

Rhino poaching suspect killed
August 23 2013 at 02:48pm
By NOSIPHO MNGOMA

Durban - A suspected rhino poacher has been killed in a shoot-out with wildlife rangers near the Mozambique border.

The unidentified man’s body was found in the Tembe Elephant Park on Thursday after a gunfight with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife rangers just before sunset on Tuesday.

Spokesman Musa Mntambo said the man was thought to have been part of an armed group of at least four who opened fire on two rangers on foot patrol in a densely forested section near Ezemvelo’s Muzi outpost.

“The Rangers took cover and returned fire. The poachers retreated and vanished through the thick forest, escaping across the border,” said Mntambo.

Police spokesman Captain Thulani Zwane confirmed the incident and said the rangers later handed over a .458 rifle with five rounds of ammunition and a silencer which was dropped by a poacher they thought might have been shot.

It was only on Thursday morning that the body was found.

Mntambo noted an increase in the number of rhino poached in this park, also known as the Ivory Route. Of the 60 rhino poached in KwaZulu-Natal so far this year, 10 were killed in the park.

He said the SANDF was deployed to patrol the park along the South Africa-Mozambique border last Friday.

This follows new focus on rhino poaching from the Southern African Development Community, according to a statement from the Ministry of Water and Environmental Affairs.

A total 587 rhino have been poached this year.

In June, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa and the Minister of Tourism in Mozambique, Carvalho Muaria, agreed to a technical meeting between each country’s enforcement, environment and tourism officials.

“It is aimed at combating poaching and to distracting the illicit trafficking of rhino horn, elephant tusks and other wildlife and related products.”

The meeting, at a still to be determined date, was expected to lead to an agreement between the two countries to beef up environmental enforcement and conservation.

A total of 167 suspected rhino poachers have been arrested in South Africa and 37 in KZN this year.

Daily News

[Mel]

Rhino poachers shot and killed
Dineo Mphalehle | about 6 hours ago

JOHANNESBURG - Three rhino poachers were shot dead in the Kruger National Park on Saturday.

SANParks said rangers in the park made contact with a group of six suspected rhino poachers after tracking them for most of Saturday morning.

In the ensuing contact, three men were fatally wounded and three arrested.

One of the arrested men was wounded.

SANParks confirmed that two rifles, ammunition and equipment were recovered.

This comes after a week of successes in the war against rhino poaching.

In Mozambique, rangers had encountered three separate groups trying to poach rhino in the Kruger Park.

A suspect was also shot and killed at the Crocodile Bridge and two horns were recovered.
More than 515 rhino have been killed in and around the country this year – the majority in the Kruger Park.

[Sprocky]

Well done rangers!!!

[Richprins]