The Makhado Regional Court has on Wednesday convicted three Mozambican nationals of rhino poaching and subsequently sentenced them to five years imprisonment each. The trio were also handed a twelve month suspended sentence.
Augustus Nkuna (40), Foster Nyoni (40) and Manyanga Shiringa (42) were arrested on 13 May 2012 with other two accomplices by the Tshamutumbu police while poaching rhinos at Nwanedi Resort. The other suspects, Gezani William (45) and Fannie Hlungwani (29) were acquitted after the court found them not guilty.
Meanwhile the police in Gravelotte have on Wednesday night arrested five suspected rhino poachers at a local garage. Police received information that the five were planning to invade a private game farm and poach rhinos. When the police pounced on them they found a calibre 458 hunting rifle with serial number filed off, two butcher knives and also confiscated their two vehicles, a Toyota bakkie and a Ford Laser sedan. They will appear before the Phalaborwa Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
The arrest of these five suspects takes the number of suspected rhino poachers arrested this week to eight. On Sunday three suspects were arrested on their way to poach rhinos in Hoedspruit. Marks Ngobeni (50) together with his Mozambican counterparts Petro Mongwe (38) and Foster Muganzi (28) have already appeared in the Phalaborwa Magistrate’s Court but will be in the dock again on 19 August 2013.
On a separate incident Reginald Makhubele (26), Selby Mthabine (26), Hlaeseko Mthabine (27) and Casuel Nyathi will be making another appearance in the Phalaborwa Magistrate’s Court on Thursday (today) following their arrest on 01 July 2013 whilst on their way to poach rhinos in Hoedspruit. A .303 rifle with six live ammunitions and a slasher were found in the possession of suspects. Their Toyota Sprinter vehicle was also confiscated.
For enquiries please contact:
Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi
Cell: 082 373 2408
