Rhino Poaching: Arrests, Prosecutions & Sentencing

[Richprins]

Ja, not much new in the program...gotta love that magistrate though! -O

My big concern is how the horn gets out of the country so easily!

[lowveldboy]

Ja, not much new in the program...gotta love that magistrate though! -O

My big concern is how the horn gets out of the country so easily!

you want me to draw you a picture - corruption and collution

[Toko]

Three poaching suspects arrested

Three poaching suspects arrested

November 20 2012 at 08:51pm


Johannesburg - The killing of eight rhinos in the North West at the weekend was barbaric, the Environmental Affairs Department said on Tuesday.

“We would like to reiterate the government's commitment to the fight against this ongoing plundering of our natural resources,” spokesperson Albi Modise said in a statement.

He called on members of the public to help catch poachers.

“We call on all officials employed by the various conservation authorities and provincial departments of environment to put the interests of the country above any personal goals by reporting any potential corrupt activities or any officials suspected of involvement in poaching.”

Three men were arrested in Brits, North West, on Tuesday for the rhino poaching, the Hawks said.

Acting on a tip-off, the Hawks found them in their homes in Lethabo township. One of them was a ranger, said Captain Paul Ramaloko.

“We are linking them with the poaching of eight rhinos in Klipkopspruit farm over the weekend,” he said.

Seven rhinos were found dead at the weekend and another one was found on Monday. No horns were found in the men's residences.

“We hope they will lead us to their leaders, because we didn't find any horn in their homes,” Ramaloko said.

He said the men, aged between 47 and 59, would appear in the Brits Magistrate's Court on Thursday on charges of rhino poaching.

North West Premier Thandi Modise welcomed the arrests.

“The swift arrest is encouraging and attests that with support of communities, the war against crime and the scourge of rhino poaching is winnable,” she said.

She said it was disappointing that a ranger was among those arrested.

“It is disappointing and shameful and calls for the police to widen their net and not leave any stone unturned,” she said.

A total of 230 people have been arrested for poaching this year. Last week, a Thai man was jailed for 40 years after being found guilty on 59 charges related to poaching.

The environmental department said around 570 rhino had been killed so far in 2012, with the Kruger National Park the most affected. The park had lost 347 rhino this year alone. - Sapa

[Toko]

Ex-cop to appear for rhino poaching

Ex-cop to appear for rhino poaching
21.11.2012 | SAPA | 0 COMMENTS
He was caught in December last year, with four horns from rhino believed to have been killed in the Kruger national park

A former police officer accused of being a rhino poaching ringleader is due to appear in the Middelburg Regional Court in Mpumalanga on Thursday.

Joseph Nyalunga faces charges of illegal hunting of rhino, dealing and possession of rhino horn, racketeering and money-laundering, the office of the director of public prosecutions (DPP) in Pretoria said on Wednesday.

Regional DPP spokesman Medupe Simasiku said Nyalunga was caught at a stop and search operation in December last year.

Four horns, two large and two smaller ones, were allegedly found behind the seat of his Colt bakkie. Cash was also found.

It was believed the horns were from two rhinos killed in the Kruger National Park.

At the time of his arrest, Nyalunga was unemployed, Simasiku said.

He had no legitimate income and could not explain the huge amount of cash that the police found in his possession.

“However, he bought a [Toyota] Fortuner cash for R290,000 during May 2011 and a Range Rover cash for R640,000 the following month.”

In court papers, the National Prosecuting Authority submitted that both vehicles were used in the commission of the crime.

Last week Friday, the High Court in Pretoria granted a preservation of property order to the Asset Forfeiture Unit to seize Nyalunga’s assets.

Property amounting to R4 million was seized.

Nyalunga is currently in custody.

[Penga Ndlovu]

575

White Rino poached in the Pilanesberg area.

[Lisbeth]

Received from Gerhard:

To All NPA Employees

Dear Colleagues,


NPA SEIZES ASSETS OF RHINO POACHING RING LEADER

On Friday 16 November 2012, the North Gauteng High Court granted a preservation of property order in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA) regarding over R3 million in cash; a Range Rover and a Toyota Fortuner that belongs to Joseph Nyalunga, also known as “Big Joe”. The total value of the seizure property amounts to approximately R 4 million. The application was launched by the Asset Forfeiture Unit.

The SAPS Organised Crime Unit in Mpumalanga and members of the Environmental Crime Investigation Unit of the South African National Parks conducted investigations into large scale, organised rhino poaching in the Kruger National Park and other protected areas in Mpumalanga, as well as smuggling and selling of the rhino horns to foreign nationals of rhinos by a syndicate.

Nyalunga, a former police official, was identified as being the ring leader of the syndicate.

On 12 December 2011, the SAPS received information that Nyalunga was on his way from Mpumalanga to Gauteng with the Range Rover and that he was conveying rhino horns. Nyalunga and Conrad Nkuna were arrested by the SAPS near Middelburg, when they were on their way back from Gauteng to Mpumalanga with the Range Rover, in which the police discovered the cash.

The police also seized exhibits from the Range Rover that were sent for DNA analysis to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Pretoria.

The FSL was able to find biological material from the exhibits that provided full DNA profiles of two male white rhinos. The DNA profile of one of the male white rhino that was found in the Range Rover also matched the DNA profile of a male white rhino that was poached in the Kruger National Park during early December 2011 in the Stolsnek area.

At the time of his arrest Nyalunga was unemployed. He had no legitimate income that could explain the huge amount of cash that the police found in his possession. However, he bought the Fortuner in cash for R 290 000, during May 2011 and the Range Rover in cash for R 640 000 the following month.

In court papers the NPA submitted that the cash, the Range Rover and the Fortuner represent the proceeds and/or were used as instrumentalities to facilitate the commission of the following offences:
• the illegal hunting of rhino in the Kruger National Park
• the illegal dealing in white rhino horn
• the illegal possession of white rhino horns
• racketeering and money laundering offences in contravention of the POCA
Nyalunga is currently in custody pending the finalisation of the criminal cases against him. The matter was subsequently postponed to 22 November 2012 in the Middelburg Regional Court.

Enquiries:
Medupe Simasiku
Regional Spokesperson: DPP North Gauteng
Cell: (0 )71 044 4340
Tel: (0 )12 401 0424
Email: msimasiku@npa.gov.za

Brought to you by Internal Communication
Copyright © 2008 by the NPA

[Toko]

Two more held over North West rhino killings

Two more held over North West rhino killings

Two more men have been arrested in connection with a spate of rhino killings in the North West on Friday, bringing the total to five over the past day, the Hawks said.

23 November 2012 | Sapa


Captain Paul Ramaloko said the two men were arrested near Kroondal, in the Matabele squatter camp on Friday.

They are believed to be part of the same organisation as three men arrested in central Pretoria, Katlehong, and Alberton in Gauteng on Thursday evening.

Three hunting rifles believed to have been used to hunt rhino were confiscated.

"The men are believed to be part of one syndicate and there are still more people involved. Bit by bit we are getting them down. We are closing in on the kingpin."

The three men, aged 36 to 58, would appear in the Brits Magistrate's Court on Monday.

They were linked to another trio arrested on Tuesday for poaching eight rhino on the farm Klipkopspruit, near Brits. Acting on a tip-off, the Hawks found them in their homes in the Lethabo township. One of them was a ranger.

These men, aged between 47 and 59, appeared in the Brits Magistrate's Court on Thursday. Their case was postponed to December 5 for a formal bail application.

Ramaloko said at least 21 rhino were slain in the province this month. He could not confirm if one syndicate was responsible for all the killings.

"We will be guided by the outcomes of the investigation."

[Lisbeth]

Rhino poaching update - Arrests and confiscation

Game ranger amongst those arrested
November 2012. After the recent slaughter of 7 rhinos on 1 game farm in South Africa's North West Province, 3 men have been arrested by the South African Police Force. One of the men is believed to be a game ranger that worked on the far; experts said it would have been very difficult to kill and dehorn seven rhinos without anyone noticing unless there was some inside involvement.

Vietnamese arrested with 7 rhino horns
A Vietnamese man has been in arrested in Mozambique about to board an aircraft with seven rhino horns. It isn't known where the horns were sourced from, and it is the third time that a Vietnamese has been arrested recently in possession of rhino horn in Mozambique.

South African organised crime confiscation
Meanwhile in South Africa a man has had most of his property confiscated for being involved in organised crime. Joseph Nyalunga, who was apparently unemployed but bought several expensive cars for cash, was arrested in possession of several rhino horns.

[Richprins]

November 2012. After the recent slaughter of 7 rhinos on 1 game farm in South Africa's North West Province, 3 men have been arrested by the South African Police Force. One of the men is believed to be a game ranger that worked on the farm; experts said it would have been very difficult to kill and dehorn seven rhinos without anyone noticing unless there was some inside involvement.

Someone said on 18 Nov. on AW forums:


This story seems a bit strange?

Even the best poachers in the world would have to work on an industrial scale to nab 7 in a day or two?

[Lisbeth]

Even the best poachers in the world would have to work on an industrial scale to nab 7 in a day or two? [/color]

Maybe that 's what is going on (0) (0)