Poaching kingpin ‘Big Joe’ to Polokwane Correctional services
The defence team of the alleged poaching kingpin, Joseph ‘Big Joe’ Nyalunga, asked the court for a postponement as they were not prepared for the new charges brought against him.
This was during his second appearance in the Lenyenye Regional Court after he was arrested in May. Nyalungu’s defence team requested that he be transferred to a Polokwane correctional facility due to difficulty to obtain his chronic medication in Thohoyandou where he was in custody until then. The court agreed and Joseph has been moved to Polokwane.
Nyalunga was arrested on Saturday, May 27 in Kampersrus after a car chase involving the police. He allegedly has a long history of poaching and was first arrested in 2011 after being on police’s radar for several months. Rhino horns and a large amount of cash were discovered in his car at the time. After his arrest, he was released on bail.
Also read: Alleged poaching kingpin caught
In 2012 he was behind bars once again after being trapped in an undercover police sting operation in Hazyview where he was once again found with rhino horns in his vehicle. On May 27 he was traced in a joint intelligence operation conducted by the Limpopo Stock Theft Unit, Hoedspruit police, Farm Watch, and the CPF. He was arrested after he crashed into another vehicle near Kampersrus.
At his first appearance in the Hoedspruit Magistrate’s Court on June 15, residents protested against possible bail and started a petition with nearly 8 000 signatures. “We would like to thank everyone who has signed this petition. Once the bail hearing goes ahead, these signatures will go a very long way in helping justice be served.
“We request that you keep on sharing this petition to help get us closer to the10 000-signature mark,” said a group of residents organising the petition. To sign the petition, go to www.change.org and search for the petition on the website.
