Rhino Poaching: Arrests, Prosecutions & Sentencing

[iNdlovu]

Well done to SanParks rangers, I take my hat off to you guys. This shows true commitment from some dedicated people in the employ of SanParks.

RP, the Zimbabweans have been very active in the southern Gonarezhou area with elephant poaching, I am pretty sure they have spread southwards for quite some time looking for new targets.

[H. erectus]

Unusual for a media release on a Sunday?

And then the helicopter joy ride turns into a posse on the loose seeking
all hell??? Heh he

[Toko]

I enjoyed the story, H.e. - nice tale -O

[Richprins]

http://www.news24.com/Green/News/Allege ... t-20130221


Alleged poachers appear in court
2013-02-21 22:07




Johannesburg - Five men accused of rhino poaching appeared in the Phalaborwa Magistrate's Court on Thursday, Limpopo police said.

Morris Sithole, Manuel Shitlhangu, Matthews Mathebula, from Giyani, and Santos Manyisi and Sergio Chauke, from Mozambique, would be back in court on 5 March, said police spokesperson Hangwane Mulaudzi.

The men, who are aged between 40 and 47, were arrested on Tuesday, apparently while on their way to the Kruger National Park.

Police confiscated a 1.4 calibre hunting rifle and silencer, eight pieces of live ammunition, a butcher's knife and an axe.

The men face charges of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, and charges under the National Environment Biodiversity Act.

- SAPA

[Richprins]

http://m.news24.com/news24/SouthAfrica/ ... y-20130306



Johannesburg - A set of rhino horns has disappeared from the Assen police station outside Brits, Beeld reported on Wednesday.

The horns, one of two sets held at the police station since November, were confiscated after rhino poachers dehorned eight rhino at the Klipkopspruit private reserve near Sun City, in North West.

Hawks spokesperson Captain Paul Ramaloko said on Tuesday a theft docket had been opened.

"It is not clear how the horns disappeared, because there were no burglaries at the station."

The only people with access to the storeroom were police officers who had the key, he said.

Klipkopspruit's owner Miles Lappeman told Beeld he learned of the disappearance of the horns on Friday.

According to the newspaper, he received a letter from the department of environmental affairs two weeks ago asking him to remove the horns from the police station and asking for the address where they would be stored.

Lappeman said he had not been prepared to fetch the horns, as by supplying his address he would render himself and his family a crime target.

SAPA

[Richprins]

This event is incredibly important, firstly affirming that private landowners mistrust government to the extent that they won't even give their details regarding poaching, and secondly affirming that law enforcement may be part of the problem. Extremely sad!

[Mel]

With circumstances like these - how should the rhinos stand a chance to survive.

[Richprins]

From today's Lowvelder:


R5,8 million choke on Big Joe


22 March 2013 | Nicolene Smalman

NELSPRUIT - Alleged rhino kingpin Joe Nyalungu (Big Joe) was dealt another huge blow this week when the North Gauteng High Court granted an order to the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) to seize R5,8 million in cash belonging to him.
This follows after a similar order was granted five months ago to seize
R3,2 million and vehicles belonging to Nyalungu. The application was submitted by Adv Kobus van der Walt, senior state advocate of AFU Mpumalanga. He will later submit an application to have the money forfeited to the state.
Lowvelder is in possession of an affidavit compiled by Ms Cecilia Smit of the AFU, which formed part of the application submitted to the court.
She has had insight into the dockets opened against Nyalungu and compiled a report which tells a story of unwavering commitment and hard work displayed by the state in bringing this alleged middleman in a rhino-poaching syndicate, to book. It makes an intriguing read, like a script for a mafia movie. One does not have to be a law expert to realise, while reading Smit’s affidavit, that the state has a watertight case against him.
A lot of the detailed information contained in it, had not been revealed during Nyalungu’s previous court appearances.
He is still in custody and awaiting trial, which is expected to commence on April 4 in the Regional Court in Middelburg.
He is being charged with the illegal hunting of rhino in the Kruger National Park (KNP), among others.
If found guilty, he could be fined
R10 million or sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. He is also being charged with racketeering, which could result in a lifetime in prison.

Nyalungu’s first rhino-poaching related arrest on December 12, 2011
The former police warrant officer and another police official, Const Conrad Nkuna who was stationed at Hazyview at the time, were on their way back from Gauteng to Mpumalanga in Nyalungu’s Range Rover when they were apprehended.
Police seized more than R3,2 million in cash and a bag which later tested positive for carrying white rhino biological material.
The DNA profile matched that of a male white rhino that was poached in the KNP earlier that month.
Both of them were released on bail shortly after this arrest.

Nyalungu’s second rhino-poaching related arrest on March 2 last year
Early in 2012, police received information that Nyalungu was, in spite of his arrest in December 2011, still dealing in rhino horn.
An undercover police operation was then arranged in terms of Section 252A of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977.
During the first one on February 27 last year, four rhino horns were sold to Nyalungu for R346 000. However, he managed to evade police and wasn’t apprehended.
Another undercover operation consequently took place on
March 2 which would secure Nyalungu’s arrest.
He allegedly bought four rhino horns from the police
agent for R370 000 and was arrested shortly after.

Details about the evidence procured against Nyalungu after his second arrest, which Lowvelder hasn’t reported on before
• The newspaper reported previously that a trunk containing R5,13 million was discovered in one of Nyalungu’s houses during his second arrest.
According to Smit’s affidavit, Nyalungu allegedly told one of the investigating officers that he got the money from Chinese nationals in Johannesburg for selling rhino horn. He added that he had met a Congolese national named Jack who made appointments for him with the Chinese buyers.
• Nyalungu thought there was only about R4 million in the trunk before it was counted at a bank. When asked by an investigating officer how long it took him to accrue that amount, he apparently said it was a month’s income.
• Nyalungu told investigating officers he didn’t know what he had done wrong.
He allegedly explained that he had bought the horns from hunters and then sold them to Chinese buyers in Johannesburg. He said he never hunted the animals himself and that he only bought and sold the horns and there was nothing wrong with that.
• Ten rhino horns were found in the possession of Mr Nnccog Ccuong Pham of Vietnam, one of Nyalungu’s coaccused.
Two of the horns were positively identified as those used during the undercover police operation on February 27 last year.
• Several hunting knives were found in one of Nyalungu’s homes. They were forensically examined by Dr Cindy Harper, head of the veterinary genetics laboratory at the faculty of veterinary science at the University of Pretoria’s Onderstepoort.
Her DNA analysis revealed that three of four knives found in the wardrobe of the main bedroom of one of his houses, tested positive for three white rhino.
Three of 11 knives found in a sleeping bag cover in the basement of another house, tested positive for another three white rhino.
• The affidavit also mentions that Smit had insight into summaries of Nyalungu’s cellphone records.
“The recorded communications clearly show his repeated involvement in criminal activity on a racketeering scale, especially the illicit dealing in rhino horn with Chinese officials from Gauteng.”


http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/co ... on-Big-Joe

[Richprins]

Notice the Chinese connection....

[Richprins]

Friday's Lowvelder:


Three suspected rhino poachers killed in KNP

28 March 2013 | Clara Lourens

SKUKUZA - Three Mozambican rhino poachers were fatally wounded in a shoot-out in the Kruger National Park (KNP) on Wednesday.


"The Crocodile Bridge area was very busy yesterday (Wednesday)," Mr Ike Phaala, SANParks spokesman confirmed.


According to him, the park's anti-rhino poaching unit had eight incidents of suspected poachers in and around that area.


"In one case, the suspects were witnessed to have fled back into Mozambique. In another one, three were fatally wounded. What we find very interesting, but also alarming, is that a brand-new .458 hunting rifle, fitted with a silencer, was confiscated - with ammunition and the usual equipment, including axes," Phaala said.


In another incident, shots were heard, but the suspected poachers had not been found.
"By Thursday morning, the unit had confirmed that no injured or killed animals had been found in the areas where the previous day's action took place. However, the men are still patrolling the surroundings to confirm this," he said.


"The coming Easter weekend is expected to bring high numbers of both wanted and unwanted people to the park and this unit will be on full patrol to rid the park of these unwanted visitors.


"Not only will we increase these patrols, these units will also be much more visible. We are at war with rhino poaching."


http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/co ... led-in-KNP