SAPS, SANDF & SANParks Employees Involved in Poaching

[Toko]

Rhino investigator in the dock for guns

May 31 2013 at 07:17pm
By SAPA

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Cop commander in court over firearms
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Phalaborwa - An investigating officer in a rhino poaching case appeared in the Phalaborwa Magistrate's Court in Limpopo on Friday, the Hawks said.

Spokesman Paul Ramaloko said the police officer, Chris Du Plessis, was arrested earlier this week and charged with possession of unlicensed firearms.

Du Plessis is the senior investigating officer in a rhino poaching case involving four Mozambicans. He was allegedly found in possession of nine unlicensed firearms, including six hunting rifles.

He would be back in court on Tuesday to apply for bail. - Sapa

[Toko]

SAPS Stock Theft Unit member allegedly involved in illegal hunting

PHALABORWA: A police commander of the Limpopo stock theft unit appeared in the Phalaborwa Magistrate's Court on Thursday in connection with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

31 May 2013


The 50-year-old commander, Lieutenant Chris du Plessis was arrested at house in the Maake area on Tuesday by the Hawks following information received that he was involved in illegal hunting.

The Hawks spokesperson, Captain Paul Ramaloko said three additional charges of theft, illegal possession of wild animal products, and contravention of the Environmental Management Act were added to the original charges.

According to the police, further investigations revealed that he allegedly booked nine rifles out of the Phalaborwa police station in 2007, saying he was taking them to Hoedspruit.

"The rifles have not arrived in Hoedspruit and for that he is charged further with theft."
Police found wild animal skins and skulls at his home.

It is alleged Du Plessis worked as a hunting outfitter after hours, organised hunting trips and charged hunters a fee.

Ramaloko said Du Plessis would then share the proceeds with game farm owners, and thus contravened the Environment Management Act
Du Plessis is expected to appear again in the Phalaborwa Magistrate's Court on Friday.

[Flutterby]

Once again, one who is meant to be enforcing the law is breaking it!!

[Toko]

Have seen this on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheSanWildRhinoSanctuary

Four ex-employees of the Kruger National Park, who was involved in the poaching of two rhino bulls in the Pretoruiskop region of the Kruger National Park during February 2012, will appear in the Nelspruit Regional court again on Monday 3 June 2013. Initially bail for Duncan Mnisi, Doctor Ngwenyama, Tiyene Mabunda and Charls Mabunda was denied but in February 2013, bail was granted after the state indicated that they were not ready to go on trial.

[Richprins]

Have seen this on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheSanWildRhinoSanctuary

Four ex-employees of the Kruger National Park, who was involved in the poaching of two rhino bulls in the Pretoruiskop region of the Kruger National Park during February 2012, will appear in the Nelspruit Regional court again on Monday 3 June 2013. Initially bail for Duncan Mnisi, Doctor Ngwenyama, Tiyene Mabunda and Charls Mabunda was denied but in February 2013, bail was granted after the state indicated that they were not ready to go on trial.

Ja, Toko! It was in the news here, hopefully they pitched up! They are very high-profile....

[Toko]

Another accused added to the notorious SANParks Four case

Ms Elleraie Jennifer Brown (28), wife of Mr Doctor Ngwenyama, has now also been charged with rhino poaching

04 June 2013 | Nicolene Smalman


NELSPRUIT - Another accused, a provincial traffic official, has been added to the so-called SANParks 4 case. Four former employees of SANParks are suspected of having poached two rhinos in the Kruger National Park (KNP) last year.

Ms Elleraine Jennifer Brown (28), the wife of co-accused Mr Doctor Mgwenyama, appeared in the Nelspruit regional court yesterday after she was arrested late last month.

She is suspected of having transported rhino horn out of the park. Mgwenyama (33), also a former traffic official; Messers Duncan Mnisi (34), a former field guide; Tiyene Mabunda (25), a former field ranger and Charles Mabunda (29), also a former field guide, were arrested in February last year after two white rhino carcasses were discovered in the Pretoriuskop section of the park.

Brown first appeared in the White River Magistrate's Court last week and was released on bail of R5 000. The case was then transferred to the regional court in Nelspruit and added to that of her husband and the other co-accused.

The case has been postponed to August 6.

[Sprocky]

2013-08-14 07:21

Johannesburg - Three former SA National Parks (SANParks) employees, a provincial traffic officer and a former traffic official, all accused of rhino poaching, appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Tuesday.

Former SANParks field ranger Tiyani Mabunda, 25, and former field guides Charles Mabunda, 29, and Duncan Mnisi, 34, appeared alongside provincial traffic officer Ellaraine Jennifer Brown, 28, and former traffic official Doctor Ngwenyama, 33.

On Tuesday, the court rejected an application to strike the rhino poaching charges against the five from the court roll, following a request by defence lawyer Erwin Sithole.

The defence, which applied on 6 August for the State to provide them with documents and affidavits signed by a commissioner of oaths, said the State had responded to their request.

However, the copies received were not properly completed, and some were unsigned.

Magistrate Andre Geldenhuys advised the defence to put together another application for proper documentation by 30 September.

"The State will be allowed to respond by November 18, and if not done we will place the matter to stand in court for the state and defence to discuss further," he said.

Geldenhuys said if all went well the trial would begin on 2 December.

Ngwenyama, Mnisi and the two Mabundas were arrested in February 2012 after two white rhino carcasses were discovered in the Pretoriuskop section of the Kruger National Park.

Brown, who is married to Ngwenyama, was arrested in May this year, after she was suspected of having transported a rhino horn out of the park.

She first appeared in the White River Magistrate's Court last June, and was released on R5 000 bail.

The case was transferred to the Nelspruit Regional Court so it could be combined with her husband's and the three other men.

All the accused are out on bail.

- SAPA

[Richprins]

Suspected poachers give court ridiculous reasons why they were in the Kruger National Park.

30 August 2013 | Tereasa Ferrari

NELSPRUIT - This week two suspected rhino poachers gave reasons to the court to explain why one was inside, and the other just outside the fence of the Kruger National Park (KNP) in September 2010.

One of them said he was searching for his cattle and the other claimed he was looking for herbs.

On Tuesday Mr Michale Sithole and Mr Boet Leonard Mashego, a SANDF soldier, appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court on various charges related to rhino poaching.

They both face three counts of performing illegal activities in a national park, five counts of restricted activity involving a threatened species, five counts of theft, four counts of possession of an illegal firearm, and fourm of illegal possession of ammunition.

The two men were arrested in September 2010 after a shootout with game rangers. Mashego was wounded in the shoulder during the encounter.

They are suspected of being involved in 10 rhino poaching incidents in the Stolsnek area near Pretoriuskop.

Two rhino horns, two firearms and ammunition were apparently found in their possession.

A dead rhino of which the horns were removed, was found in the area shortly before the arrests.

In court, a ranger who cannot be identified, recounted the events of the night.
He said it was about 03:45 when they found Mashego inside the fence of the park. Sithole was on the outside.

He said it was a full moon that night so he could see the suspects quite clearly.
He said Mashego pointed his firearm in the rangers' direction and that was when the rangers opened fire.

Mashego's defence claimed he had been shot in the back as his exit bullet wound was bigger in the front, than in the back.

The defence also claimed that Mashego was apparently looking for his cattle at the time and Sithole was searching for herbs. Yet the ranger said no herbs were found on him and they had found rhino horns and Mashego had the rifle.

Magistrate Mr André Geldenhuys then postponed the trial until December 9.


http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/co ... r-poaching

[Toko]

I don't find anything in the media so far, but there is a post on SPF

http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopi ... 7#p2083067

Two staff members based in the Kruger National Park were arrested on Monday the 7th April, on suspicion of poaching activity during the weekend.

[Richprins]

Forgot my password there...