Poaching attempt foiled
Two suspects appeared before the Lenyenye Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, January 16 after they were arrested for alleged rhino poaching during a multidisciplinary operation involving field rangers, visible policing members and the Giyani Cluster K9 unit officers on Monday.
The suspects allegedly trespassed into a private game farm in Hoedspruit on Saturday January 13, but failed to locate any rhino until they were spotted by field rangers.
The gun-wielding suspects managed to escape but their freedom was only temporary.
One suspect was arrested not far from the farm and led the police to where he had hidden two .375 hunting rifles, 18 live rounds of ammunition, three hunting knives and an axe.
The second suspect was arrested later on in Hoedspruit CBD through a tip-off from a community member.
The suspects, aged 22 and 28, have been charged with conspiracy to commit rhino poaching, illegal possession of a firearm, as well as possession of dangerous weapons. The Cluster Commander of Giyani, Major General Mbhazima Ngobeni, has applauded the community members who alerted police about the whereabouts of the wanted suspect.
He said policing is a joint venture and if police and communities work together criminals will be isolated and rooted out of society.
“I appeal to every member of our community to provide the police with information that may lead to the resolving of cases, so that we can ensure that justice is served at all times. No information is too small to provide and as police, we shall treat every information with the confidentiality it deserves,’ said Major General Ngobeni.
