Rhino Poaching: Arrests, Prosecutions & Sentencing

[Penga Ndlovu]

According to OSCAP all five of these suspected poachers were released on bail!!

Yep.
R1000.00 each.

Guess wildlife here in South Africa comes very cheap.

[Richprins]

Dr Lesiyampe said the government would not allow a few selfish individuals to destroy a Sh120 billion a year industry.

That is the point, and locals do not see it at all!

[iNdlovu]

Even if they did see it, greed drives them to do what they do.

[Richprins]

Actually chatted to a local colleague about poaching a few days ago, and while she didn't condone it, she said it was about money, end of story!

[iNdlovu]

Ja, illegal is actually not illegal in this country if it is about money. Our citizens have learned this from our government leaders, so it must be OK

[Flutterby]

From Andrew Desmet's FB page yesterday:

11 October 2013 | Nicolene Smalman


KANYAMAZANE – Local police officials who were doing a routine stop-and-search operation last night, hit the jackpot when they apprehended a man with two rhino horns in his possession.
The arrest was made by members of KaNyamazane police’s Community Service Centre and White River’s dog unit. WO Andries Skwambane, spokesman for the local police, said the officials were on duty on the main road KaNyamazane at about 23:30.
They instructed the driver of a Nissan single-cab bakkie to stop, upon which four occupants got out and fled.
Officials threatened to shoot the driver and he remained in the vehicle. They instructed him to get out and they searched it. They noticed something wrapped in a blue overall jacket and when they unfolded it, they found a .303 hunting rifle and 12 rounds of live ammunition.
“They continued to search and found a black sports bag behind the seat, containing two fresh rhino horns,” Skwambane said.
The suspect, who is from Hazyview, apparently told police that they had poached a rhino in the Malalane section of the Kruger National Park near the fence at 21:00 last night. Detectives haven’t been able to establish yet where the men were heading for.
The suspect will be detained until he is scheduled to appear in court on Monday. Only then may his identity be made known.

[Richprins]

http://www.news24.com/Green/News/Youth- ... s-20131013

Youth can't shoot, taxis rhino poachers
2013-10-13 18:22



Mandla Khoza

Mbombela - A 22-year-old Mpumalanga man arrested in possession of two rhino horns is expected to appear in the KaNyamazane Magistrate's Court on Monday.

The suspect, from Hazyview, was arrested in possession of two fresh rhino horns during a stop and search operation in KaNyamazane outside Mbombela at around 23:30 on Thursday.

On Friday morning, the suspect accompanied police to the Kruger National Park, where he told them the rhino was killed.

Before heading to the Kruger, he told journalists and police officers that he had not killed the rhino, but had only driven his friends to the killing spot.

"I'm not good in shooting; my friends who ran away are good at that. I only drive them there, carry their food to the site and then drive them back," said the suspected poacher.

The poacher, who is a South African, said his four friends are also South African.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Gerald Sedibe the suspect was stopped with four others on the KaNyamazane road.

He said when police stopped their bakkie, there were five men inside, but the four others ran and left the driver behind.

“The vehicle was searched and police found a rifle and two fresh rhino horns. Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed that they shot the rhino at the Kruger National Park at around 21:00 on Thursday evening.

"After a fruitless search for the other suspects, police are appealing to the community of Hazyview, especially those from the Nyongane area where the suspects are believed to be from, to help. They must alert their nearest police station if they see them," said Sedibe.

He said police would also establish if the bakkie was stolen.

Sedibe said the suspect will appear in the KaNyamazane Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges of possession of rhino horns and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Kruger National Park spokesperson William Mabasa confirmed a rhino was killed in the Kruger near the Malalane gate on Thursday.

"Rangers discovered a fresh carcass; however there is no proof that those horns belong to the fresh one we found.

"We must still do tests to determine if the horns which were found with the suspect at KaNyamazane are really those of the fresh carcass that we found,” said Mabasa.
- African Eye

[Flutterby]

'Poacher' arrested again
2013-10-16 22:06

Mbombela - Three suspected rhino poachers appeared in the Skukuza Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, a Sapa correspondent reported.

They would remain in custody until 21 October, when they would apply for bail in the Kabokweni Magistrate's Court. They had not been asked to plead yet.

Mpumalanga police first arrested Edwin Mdluli, 23, and confiscated a bag containing two fresh rhino horns during a stop and search operation between KaNyamazane and Mbombela last Thursday.

On Monday, police raided a house in KaNyamazane where they arrested Bheki Mdluli 36, and later Ralph Mlambo, 25.

Skukuza police spokesperson Warrant Officer Oubaas Coetzer said Edwin Mdluli was arrested when police stopped a Nissan single cab bakkie.

"There were five people inside. As it stopped four suspects got out and fled on foot. The driver of the bakkie remained inside and police conducted a search and found a rifle and 12 live rounds of ammunition wrapped in an overall," he said.

When police searched the vehicle further they found two rhino horns in a bag.

"Bheki Mdluli and Mlambo were also linked to the rhino poaching case and are believed to had been travelling together with Edwin when they were stopped. The two other suspects are still at large," said Coetzer.

Coetzer said the rhino was believed to have been poached in the Malalane section of Skukuza. He said Mlambo had previously been implicated in rhino poaching cases. The two rhino horns retrieved apparently matched a carcass found at Skukuza.

- SAPA

[Sprocky]

2013-10-19 17:09

Nelspruit - Two suspected poachers from Mozambique pleaded guilty in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Friday to entering South Africa illegally, but denied poaching rhino.

Andelino Mukwebe and Jeremano Tive face charges of entering the country illegally, entering the Kruger National Park without a valid permit and of killing a white rhino, a Sapa correspondent reported.

KNP rangers arrested them in possession of two fresh white rhino horns and an axe in the N'wanesi section of the park on January 19.

"I was on my way to the place of gold in Johannesburg to look for a job," Mukwebe said in an affidavit.

"We know it is against the country's law to enter without a legal permit. I plead not guilty to entering the KNP illegally, killing a white rhino and dehorning a second white rhino," he said.

Tive presented a similar statement before magistrate Edward Hall.

An SA National Parks field ranger, who could not be named to protect his identity, testified that the rangers received a call around 09:00 on January 19.

"We were told that shots were heard and there were suspected poachers around the Mjokwane section of the KNP.

"On arrival at Mjokwane, we discovered that two suspects had already been arrested. We were then instructed about a second scene at N'wanesi section of the park."

There the rangers followed the fresh spoor of three people and a wounded rhino.

"We noticed its fresh blood on the ground."

Soon after, the rangers found a white rhino that had been shot, with blood flowing from its shoulder. It appeared someone had tried to cut off one of its horns.

"There were no people around, but we noticed some human tracks around it," the ranger testified.

The rangers followed the three sets of human tracks, and 600 metres further found an abandoned bag.

"We proceeded further and found the two accused... hiding under some bushes, covered in shrubs. We found two bags from them. Inside the bags were discovered two fresh white rhino horns, an axe and a jacket.

"We discovered that a third suspect was at large. We heard from the two that he was the one carrying a firearm," the ranger told the court.

He testified that the area was thoroughly searched, but the third man could not be found.

A helicopter helping with the search was called and the two men were taken into custody.

Defence lawyer Daniel Mabunda told the court that Mukwebe and Tive would testify that their bags held only food.

"It is my instruction that the two rhino horns the witness claims were found inside Tive's bag were brought by the rangers who came with the helicopter," Mabunda said.

Hall postponed the case to November 28.

[Sprocky]

2013-10-24 09:15

Johannesburg - The case against a man accused of shooting a suspected rhino poacher on his family's game reserve was postponed in the Malelane Magistrate's Court, Mpumalanga police said on Thursday.

Richard Hume, 31, who is out on bail of R5 000, appeared in court on Wednesday to face attempted murder charges.

The case was postponed to 8 January.

Richard, who was arrested in September, is the son of John Hume, a well-known rhino and buffalo breeder.

Richard Hume spotted a suspicious-looking Ford Bantam bakkie at the Mauricedale game reserve, and signalled to the driver to stop.

The bakkie raced away, and according to provincial police spokesperson Colonel Leonard Hlathi, he allegedly fired a shot, after which the bakkie came to a halt.

The driver, Sabelo Maphungla, 28, was shot and wounded.

Police arrested Maphungla, and two passengers, Siso Nkhosi, 28, and Jabo Dlamini, 38, for trespassing, illegal game hunting and possession of game. Two other passengers ran away.

Nkhosi, and Dlamini also appeared in the court on Wednesday.

Maphungla is still being treated in hospital.

The three were out on bail of R3 000.

Their case was postponed to 6 November.

- SAPA