Rhino Poaching: Arrests, Prosecutions & Sentencing

[Lisbeth]

It looks as if not all the poachers are coming from Mozambique and that they have finally started to look closer to home At least they are not trying to hide it any more, that it is often an "insider" job!

[H. erectus]

Thanks BH. We get so heated with other wrongdoing that we
tend to forget our own status and friendship!

Very sad!! However we must remain opposed and vigilant to
those that want to abuse, your heritage!!, and hopefully
you will acquire the same respect for me?

[Poplap]

Another rhino shot in HUP and is being treated in the bomas - interesting that arrests have been made and one of those who was going to be arrested is one of the two rangers who recently drowned! http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/ ... A1ViKC-flw

"Despite this breakthrough, it was a bloody weekend in KZN’s game parks, with three white rhino killed in Hluhluwe and one in iMfolozi."

[nan]

incredible incredible incredible... rangers....

[Toko]

Beeld: 2 veeartse nie meer vervolg oor medikasie vir diere

[Flutterby]

POACHING “DOUBLE AGENT” LINKED TO SYNDICATES

SIMON BLOCH – SUNDAY TRIBUNE 5TH AUGUST 2012

A wildlife investigations officer who worked for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife from 2004 is alleged to have been a double agent for International organized crime syndicates involved in rhino poaching and could be linked to the killing of 40 to 50 rhinos on Zululand Game Reserves and farms.

After a yearlong investigation by the police’s Organised Crime Unit suspicions have now been raised about a “cover up”.

The investigator, Bheki Msweli, and his co-accused Malusi Dubazane, appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on Thursday. They had already been charged in an Mtubatuba Court for allegedly dealing in rhino horn and contravening environmental legislation, but their case was postponed to Sept 7 for investigation.

Police investigators say they believe Msweli is a felon wanted for a spate of crimes committed using the alias of “ Mtshali.”

Dubazane had previously been arrested on rhino poaching charges in 2010 but was freed for lack of evidence.

The two have now been linked to a network of international rhino horn syndicates.
The alleged Kingpin of one of the syndicates, Swazi born Vusi Mashaba, 40, of Zululand, appeared on Friday in a Germiston court. His case was postponed to August 14 because his attorney was ill.

The syndicates include Chinese, Vietnamese, Nigerian and Malawian nationals arrested in Gauteng in May. Large sums of money and rhino horns, elephant tusks and leopard skins worth more than $40M (R325 M) were seized as the Gauteng end of the syndicates was mopped up.

According to investigators, Msweli and Dubazane are believed to have been middle-men, supplying and transporting rhino horn to accomplices in Gauteng. In the past 3 years 103 rhinos have been poached in KZN.

Their arrests were a culmination of a yearlong investigation by the rhino task team of the Environmental and Endangered Species Unit in the Organised Crime Unit.
Ezemvelo Management has been roundly criticized for the way it handled the matter.

Asked whether Msweli’s alleged poaching activities had been uncovered in a case reported a year ago, in which 3 rangers were suspended pending the outcome of disciplinary hearings, Ezemvelo spokesman Musa Mntambo said he could not comment.
Mntambo confirmed that Msweli had been transferred to the Nkandla Reserve last year, and thereafter given a position investigating rhino poaching.

“Having considered the fact that it was also not easy for our investigators to monitor him from Nkandla, the management decided to let him work within the investigative unit.” Mntambo explained.
“He was then redeployed to the wildlife crimes investigation services at Opathe Heritage Park. This was all part of the plan to entrap Msweli and he had no idea we suspected him and were watching.”

The DA’s spokesman for conservation and environmental affairs, MP Radley Keys, said he suspected a “cover up” and last week submitted written questions to Conservation and Environmental Affairs MEC Meshack Radebe calling for answers. Several of the questions focus on probity checks and screening procedures used by Ezemvelo in appointing game rangers.

“Ezemvelo not only hid this alleged felon, they transferred him to their investigation team, which is like putting a paedophile in a kindergarten.” said Keys.

The ANC’s Omie Singh, of the conservation and environmental affairs portfolio committee, said the matter was a “huge wake up call.”
“I don’t understand why he was not picked out as a double agent,” said Singh.

[Lisbeth]

As often happens the right hand does not know what the left is doing

[Richprins]

Asked whether Msweli’s alleged poaching activities had been uncovered in a case reported a year ago, in which 3 rangers were suspended pending the outcome of disciplinary hearings, Ezemvelo spokesman Musa Mntambo said he could not comment.

That is quite normal, as bigger investigations are underway?

[Toko]

Dozens of Mozambican poachers have been killed in KNP since November.
The Mozambican Massingir attorney general office is dealing with various poaching crime processes.
Border guards and police officers are involved in poaching.

O Paiz online

[serval]

The google translation is poor , who can translate the article ?