South African National Parks (SANParks) announced today the completion of two lengthy rhino poaching trials Regional Court Skukuza. One rhino poacher has been convicted May 14, while three, including a former SANParks employee, were sentenced yesterday.
Its Mathebula was arrested in the Tsokwane section in January 2019 while hunting in Kruger National Park illegal. Two of his accomplices managed to avoid arrest. Matebula was found guilty of trespassing into the national park, violating the Immigration Act and killing a rhino. Matebula was sentenced to 13 years in prison after being found guilty on three charges related to poaching.
Phineas Dinda, former full corporal of SANParks in the Ranger Corps, Arlindo Manaike from Mozambique and Alpha Gwebana, South African citizen, were arrested in the Tsokwane section of the city. Kruger National Park in May 2019. All three were found guilty of trespassing into the national park, conspiracy to commit a crime, and possession of unlicensed firearms, live ammunition and an ax. Manike was also found guilty of violating the Immigration Act. They were all sentenced to 16 years in prison.
“We would like to congratulate the Attorney’s Office, SAPS and our hard-working Ranger Corps who arrested suspects and provided credible evidence that led to the court verdicts,” Gareth Coleman said in a statement. statement. “We hope that this will send a signal to others that justice will eventually prevail. It is especially troubling that one of our employees was arrested and imprisoned. ”
Coleman noted that since the Skukuza court resumed hearings on April 1 after attempts were made to close it, the number of convictions increased significantly.
“We expect this trend to intensify and poachers may benefit in the short term from poaching, but they will be detained, which will negatively affect themselves, their families and their livelihoods.”
SANParks staff with information on these cases are encouraged to report or use Ethics and Fraud Hotline: 0800 000 221.
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The message is breaking! Four poachers, including a former SANParks ranger, sentenced to prison for killing rhinos in Kruger National Park first appeared in World Animal News.