Rhino Poaching: Arrests, Prosecutions & Sentencing

[Lisbeth]

FOUR ARRESTED FOR KILLING 4 RHINOS AT INVERDOORN GAME RESERVE

Kaylynn Palm | 13.12.2021

CAPE TOWN - Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing of four rhinos on a game reserve outside Cape Town.

Last week, four of the animals - including a pregnant rhino - were killed while another was wounded at the Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve.

Aquila Collection spokesperson Johan van Schalkwyk said: "We are hoping there is enough evidence and that the court does not release them or grant them bail. Everyone continues to work day and night to bring all perpetrators to justice."

https://ewn.co.za/2021/12/13/four-arres ... me-reserve

[Richprins]

Go Western Cape!

[Richprins]

Rhino horn disguised as chocolates grounded at OR Tambo airport
24 December 2021 - 11:47
Philani Nombembe Journalist

The Hawks intercepted a consignment of rhino horn en route to China and disguised as chocolates.


Image: Supplied

The Hawks swooped on a rhino horn consignment destined for China at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The consignment of horns was disguised as chocolates.

Spokesperson for the directorate, Lt-Col Philani Nkwalase said a 46-year-old man was arrested and is due to appear in the Kempton Park magistrate’s court on Tuesday. The man will face charges related to contravention of the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act.

“This follows information received from the cargo section at the airport on December 23 about a parcel destined for Shandong province in China,” said Nkwalase.

“The parcel was allegedly declared as Ferrero and Cadbury chocolates. A thorough investigation by the Hawks led to the arrest of the suspect and an undisclosed amount of money was found hidden under the driver seat of his vehicle.”

TimesLIVE

https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/sout ... o-airport/

[Lisbeth]

It never finishes

[Richprins]

Hawks execute warrant of arrest in Delmas
The Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation based in Mbombela have executed a warrant of arrest for Rogerio Domingos Moiane (52) during his appearance in Delmas Magistrate's Court on Friday January 14 for a bail judgement on possession of rhino horn.
23 hours ago


The accused was initially arrested in Kaapmuiden in March 2016 for possession of an unlicensed firearm with silencer and ammunition. The accused made several court appearances and was later released on bail, but never returned to court. A warrant for his arrest was issued.


In October 2021, the accused, while out on bail and sought for evading court, was found on the N12 near Delmas, in possession of rhino horn. He was arrested, charged and detained at Modderbee Prison. The case was postponed to February 24 for further investigation.

The accused was also served with a warrant of arrest for a Kaapmuiden case. He was expected to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Monday January 17.


The outcome of Moiane’s court appearance was not yet known by the time of posting online.

https://lowvelder.co.za/765697/hawks-ex ... HdoymrXviI

[Lisbeth]

between police and courts, things do not work very well IMO There should not even be a bail judgement. He should go straight to jail!

"The Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation" Is this a name for a new unit of the Hawks and is it supposed to make them seem more serious?

[Richprins]

Former KZN cop gets 10 years for rhino poaching
09 February 2022 - 14:30
Orrin Singh

A former KZN cop was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison after he was found in possession of rifles and two rhino horns near a game reserve in northern KZN in 2018.

A former KwaZulu-Natal cop has been convicted and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for a 2018 incident in which he was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm and rhino horns.

Sizwe Buthelezi, 39, appeared in the Durban regional court on Tuesday, where he was handed a 10-year sentence.

Provincial Hawks spokesperson Simphiwe Mhlongo said Buthelezi was a member of the KwaMsane tactical response team at the time of his arrest near Ntambanana in northern KZN.


“On October 11 2018 Buthelezi was seen leaving Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park. Rhino 9 Task Team and Ezemvelo Wildlife officials, who were in the vicinity, tried to stop him but he sped off and a high-speed chase ensued. He eventually lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a house,” said Mhlongo.

He said when they were leaving the park, another person managed to flee and evade arrest. Police took the decision to pursue Buthelezi in their vehicle until he crashed and they searched the vehicle.

Mhlongo said Buthelezi was found in possession of a hunting rifle with live rounds of ammunition, three hunting knives and two freshly-cut rhino horns.

“He was placed under arrest and later charged accordingly by the Hawks members from Richards Bay serious organised crime investigation.”

Buthelezi made several court appearances before being sentenced on Tuesday. He has been deemed unfit to possess a firearm in future.

TimesLIVE
https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/sout ... -poaching/

[Richprins]

Woman arrested in Bedfordview with 29 rhino horns worth R6m
By Brenda Masilela 17.02.2022

Pretoria – A 48-year-old woman was arrested on Thursday in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, after she was found in possession of 29 rhino horns with an estimated street value of R6 million.

According to Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu, police were following up an on-going investigation related to a Kempton Park case in which suspects were arrested after they found in possession of rhino horns in September 2021.

Mulamu said the investigation led the Hawks to a residential estate in Senderwood, Bedfordview, east of Johannesburg.

“Upon arrival, police searched the premises and inside the garage, travelling suitcases were discovered wrapped in plastic ready for distribution. Police searched the luggage and inside (there) was grocery items and brown boxes as well as scrap laptops.”

Inside the boxes, police recovered rhino horns wrapped in heavy foil.

Among other seized items, were 29 rhino horns weighing 51.94 kilograms with an estimated street value of R6 million, eight scrap laptops, four weighing scales, and two heavy cutting machines.

The woman was immediately placed under arrest and is expected to appear in the Germiston Regional court on Friday.

IOL

https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa ... oNhJR8KOg0

[Richprins]

Ref: 9/2/2 – 22 – KNP
Saturday, February 26, 2022

MEDIA RELEASE

LENGTHY JAIL TERM FOR POACHERS IN THE KNP

The South African National Parks today welcomed the lengthy jail terms handed down by the Skukuza Regional to two convicted rhino poachers. The two men from Mozambique were arrested in Satara section of the Kruger National Park (KNP) on 22 May 2019 by Rangers, who responded to the sound of shots being fired and finding two carcasses of rhino with their horns still intact. A resultant search culminated with the arrest of the two men close to the scene where the carcases were found; and poaching equipment including a high powered rifle were recovered and linked to the killing of the rhinos.

59 year old, Americo Mathonsi and his 57 year old accomplice, Michael Chauke were found guilty of trespassing in a National Park, killing of rhinos which are protected species, possession of illegal firearm, ammunition, contravention of the immigration act and possession of dangerous weapons. They were each sentenced to a total of twenty three years in prison.

Gareth Coleman, the Managing Executive of the KNP commended the team that made the arrests and stated: “We welcome the resumption of trials in Skukuza after the court experienced technical problems with their recording equipment and congratulate the prosecution for presenting a compelling case to the court which led to the two convictions and sentencing. Our continued collaboration with the SAPS and NPA is bearing results with the sentences that have been meted out by the court. There is still more to be done, especially outside the park to arrest those responsible for destroying our natural heritage. Our anti- poaching teams will be encouraged by these sentences which prove that their efforts are not in vain” concluded Coleman.

The Skukuza Regional court is expected to finalise several high profile cases this year including that of former KNP Regional Ranger Rodney Landela whose trial is set for June 2022.

[Richprins]

Skukuza Regional Court sentences three poachers
The provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Semakaleng Manamela, has welcomed the decision to sentence three poachers, regardless of awaited forensic results.
13 hours ago

Sibusiso Mahlaule (29), George Manyise (30) and Rodrigues Ngobeni (34) were sentenced by the Skukuza Regional Court for poaching on Friday March 11.
Their sentences eminate from an incident in which the three were caught by field rangers in the Kruger National Park on April 18, 2021.
It is said that the rangers, working at Pretoriuskop Section, discovered something sinister which raised suspicions of the presence of intruders. They followed some tracks with the assistance of tracker dogs as well as a SANParks helicopter.
It was not long before the field rangers spotted the trio. The suspects were cornered and apprehended. There were items found in their possession, which included a .375 H&H bolt action rifle with a fitted silencer, as well as three cartridges of a .375 H&H.
The Skukuza police were notified about the incident and on their arrival, the suspects were arrested and charged for trespassing, as well as for conspiracy to commit crime.

Meanwhile a charge of contravention of the Immigration Act was added upon Ngobeni after the police had established that he is from Mozambique and was in South Africa illegally. The Stock Theft Unit of the Skukuza SAPS then took over the investigation.
The accused were subsequently brought to court and while the probe was ongoing, in which detectives were still waiting for the forensic outcome in their case, they decided to plead guilty. The court accepted their plea, however, they were not exempted from punishment.
On the count of trespassing, the accused were each sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. On the count of conspiracy to commit a crime, they were each sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. Ngobeni was sentenced to an additional eight years’ imprisonment for contravention of the Immigration Act.
The Mpumalanga SAPS commissioner, Lt Gen Semakaleng Manamela, said people should continue to obey the laws of the country, including the laws that have been put in place to protect nature. “We applaud the excellent relationship that exists between the team of field rangers, the investigators, the prosecution and the judiciary. We hope that the sentence will serve as a lesson that, one way or another, there is punishment for lawbreakers.”

https://lowvelder.co.za/773876/skukuza- ... gTw5mj6_bY