Free Access to Kruger for Alleged Poachers on Bail!

[Richprins]

Poaching accused visit Kruger National Park freely
This allowed the accused free access to drive around the park, survey the rhinos and even have lunch at one of the camps if they felt like it.
21 hours ago


SKUKUZA – Accused in rhino poaching have a jolly time visiting the Kruger National Park on court orders.

Tereasa Dias

This is due to the fact that police do not have enough manpower to escort those out on bail from the Kruger Gate to the court.

Skukuza police spokesman Willie Broodryk said even alleged rhino-horn kingpin, Joseph (Big Joe) Nyalungu and his co-accused do not get escorted to and from the court when they are summoned to appear.

“He is instructed at the gate to appear at the court and immediately leave after his appearance. We can monitor them at the court itself, but we do not have the manpower to watch what they do before they come to court or after they leave.”

A source who investigates rhino-poaching cases, stated that this allowed the accused free access to drive around the park, survey the rhinos and even have lunch at one of the camps if they felt like it.

“This is absurd, putting them in there without escorts just means anything can be planned while they inside the park. It is a massive security risk. Plus they get in for free as it’s a summons to appear in court.”

SANParks spokesman Janine Raftopolous responded by stating that the situation was a SAPS operational matter.

“SANParks also has processes in place to monitor movement in and out of our gates and in the park,” she added.

Nyalungu appeared last Friday in court. He is a former warrant officer with the SAPS, who was arrested on December 12, 2011 in Middelburg. He and Const Conrad Nkuna, who was stationed at Hazyview, were on their way back to Middelburg from Gauteng when they were pulled over by police. They had R3 280 800 in cash on them and a bag containing the DNA of rhino was also found in their possession. It is suspected that they had sold rhino horn in Gauteng.

The DNA matched that of a rhino that had been poached in the Stolsnek area of the Kruger National Park (KNP) earlier that year. Elijah Ngobeni was arrested in connection with the poaching on December 20, 2011.

Nyalungu and Nkuna were released on bail

Broodryk stated that Nyalunga was expected to appear again in the Skukuza Magistrate’s Court on June 7 to set a High Court date

https://lowvelder.co.za/425186/poaching ... np-freely/

[Lisbeth]

These court cases really drag along for too long