Africa Wild

Rhino poacher shot and killed

Valeska Abreu | June 18, 12:23

JOHANNESBURG – Police have confirmed a rhino poacher has been shot dead in the Kruger National Park.

It's understood the suspected poacher was part of a gang of three men who were cornered by park rangers earlier this week. There was a shootout in the Punda Maria area, where two of the rangers managed to escape. Police have seized firearms and opened a case of murder. The police's Hangwani Mulaudzi says, “One of the suspects was shot dead, the other two managed to run away and we are investigating a case of murder.”

Last month two police officers were arrested after they were found transporting a suspected poacher in a marked vehicle in Skukuza, Mpumalanga. The officers, based at the Skukuza Police Station, were stopped during a sting operation by the Hawks and Kruger National Park Officials. They couldn't explain why they were with a man who was armed with a .375 hunting rifle.

According to SANParks, more than 3,000 rhino have been poached in South Africa since 2000 and at least 402 rhino have been poached in the country since January.

This is exactly the procedure. After killing poachers, SP, SANDF, SAPS or whoever have to wait for an investigator who treats it like any homicide investigation, which is good!

It is a bit confusing, though, as a charge needs to be laid, normally by relatives or in this case colleagues of the deceased, specifying "murder" on the docket. Alternatively the police, via the state prosecutor, can lay such charge on behalf of the State...

So it is unusual for "murder" to come up straight away?

More info required!

Dog trainer testifies about Killer in court

Killer’s trainer Mr Henry Holsthyzen and owner of Paramount Group, which supply working dogs to the rangers park, testified in court about his skills and training. Tereasa Ferrari | 27 June 2014 09:01

MBOMBELA – A Belgian Malinois called Killer has become a key player in the case against two Mozambicans accused of rhino poaching in the Kruger National Park (KNP). Mr Andilino Mulcube (20) and Mr Jeremano Tive (20) appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Tuesday.
The two accused were apprehended after a SANParks ranger and his dog tracked the accused after finding a dead rhino with its horn half hacked off in the Nwanetsi area of the KNP on January 19, 2013.
They were apparently also in possession of rhino horn.
Killer’s trainer Mr Henry Holsthyzen and owner of Paramount Group, which supply working dogs to the rangers park, testified in court about his skills and training.
State prosecutor Adv Isabet Erwee asked Holsthyzen about his experience with animals. He said he had trained under the world leader in animal behaviour Prof Johannes Odendaal for many years and had supplied canines as security to national and international organisations.
Holsthyzen recounted Killer’s family history and told the court that his mother had been bred from two well-known Belgian police dogs which had a bounty placed on their heads.
They were then put into an exchange programme and came to South Africa for protection.
His father’s parental heritage was from the USA. They had served in the war in Iraq.
He then explained how Killer had to be introduced to the KNP at an early age to desensitise him to wild animals so that he would not be sidetracked but focus on tracking humans.
“It is a two-year training process,” said Holsthyzen.
He stated that even the blood of a rhino would not distract the canine from tracking a human.
He also explained how the KNP had first used Rhodesian ridgebacks but they were only effective in tracking dangerous wild animals as they were bred for hunting purposes.
“They then brought in police dogs but they were out of their depth in a strange environment and became distracted by all the smells to which they had never been exposed.”
Killer’s handler, who is a ranger and cannot be identified for safety reasons, then testified that the horns that had been seized were freshly cut. “It was evident that they had been freshly cut as they still had blood on them. They were from a white rhino,” he said.
The ranger said he and Killer had first tracked three suspects. Once they had caught two, the suspects said their accomplice had run away and taken the firearm with him. According to the handler, Killer helped him by following the scent of suspects in places he could not see. “It is much faster to catch them.”
“He is my closest companion and I have full faith in him,” he concluded.
The matter stood down for cross-examination from the defence for July 28.

Media Release: SANParks applauds court sentence. Date: 9th July 2014

South African Nationals Parks (SANParks) today welcomed the sentencing of two Mozambican Nationals to 16 years in prison for poaching and related offences. They were sentenced in the Nelspruit Magistrates Court.

Ephraim Bila and Ndombama Salvatore Nkuna were arrested in the Kruger National Park (KNP) in April 2013 by SANParks Rangers after they had killed and dehorned a white rhino. They were sentenced to 10 years for killing the rhino, four years for trespassing and carrying out a restricted activity in a restricted area, and six years for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. The 10- and four-year sentences would run concurrently.

The Acting Chief Executive Officer of SANParks, Abe Sibiya commended the courts for imposing the lengthy jail terms. “We are happy that the courts have rewarded the hard work done by the Rangers, our Environmental Crime Investigative Unit and the South African Police. This sentence will certainly make potential poachers think twice, before crossing the fence to plunder our natural heritage. The sentencing will also help to lift the morale of all men and women in uniform who are in the trenches fighting this scourge of rhino poaching” said Sibiya.

The KNP has lost 351 animals to poaching this year and 60 people were arrested in connection with some of the cases. Sibiya went on to say SANParks is not prepared to give up the fight to save the rhino species.

“We are resolute in our determination to win this war that is being waged by greedy individuals, these assets belong to the South African people and we are prepared to ensure their future existence as mandated ” concluded Sibiya.

Issued by:
South African National Parks (SANParks) Corporate Communications

Big increase in sentence!

Some good news, but still a small drop in the ocean!

The problem is that , after having served 1 sixth of their sentences , they can be released on parole i.e , after about 2 years and 8 months , and since they were probably in custody since their arrest in April 2013 , they can be back on the street ( or in the bush ) , by Christmas 2015 , so that they can continue their poaching activities by January 2016 .
Now , that is scary

Vets, hunters among 11 in court for rhino poaching

21 July 2014 13:10

Eleven people, including veterinarians and professional hunters, appeared briefly in the High Court in Pretoria today on various charges relating to rhino poaching, illegal hunting and racketeering.

The accused in the case are game farmer Dawie Groenewald, his wife Sariette, two veterinarians, Karel Toet and Manie du Plessis, Toet’s wife, Marisa, Toet’s employee, Koos Pronk, three professional hunters, Tielman Erasmus, Gys du Preez and Nardus Rossouw, a helicopter pilot, Dewald Gouws, and a farmworker, Paul Matomela.

They are all implicated in the illegal trade and face 1 872 counts of racketeering. The group was allegedly involved in a ring that killed rhinos and traded in their horns.

Prosecutor Joanie Spies agreed, after consultation with the judge president and the defence, that the trial needed to be postponed pending the outcome of another matter regarding hunting legislation.

Spies said she also received volumes of documents in the form of objections by the defence. Some of the requests and objections were repetitive, she said.

“On July 4, I received a request and objections in respect of accused number one, totalling 739 pages, which I have replied to. A further 400-page document was mailed to me for accused number 8, and I have replied as well.

“Although they bear headings with the objections, they are not clear which charges they object to and on what basis.”

Judge Peter Mothle postponed the case to August 4 2015.

“This matter is postponed to the agreed date of August 4 next year, which is provisional, pending the completion of the civil application. Bail for all accused is extended until that date.”

- Sapa

Just for the record: It's been now four years since the “Groenewald gang” were arrested first time

All the relevant info available here:
http://killingforprofit.com/2014/07/20/ ... -on-trial/

Toko wrote:“This matter is postponed to the agreed date of August 4 next year, which is provisional, pending the completion of the civil application. Bail for all accused is extended until that date.”

Toko wrote:Just for the record: It's been now four years since the “Groenewald gang” were arrested first time

Could very well be compared to the arms deal controversy,..

Big bucks can break the rules and manipulate them!!!!!