Sentences imposed on four rhino poachers
SANParks welcomed the finalisation of two long-running rhino poaching trials by the Skukuza Regional Court. One rhino poacher was sentenced on May 14 while three, including a former SANParks employee, were sentenced on May 17.
Nito Mathebula was arrested in the Tshokwane section of the Kruger National Park (KNP) in January 2019 while hunting illegally. Two of his accomplices managed to evade arrest.
He was found guilty of trespassing in a national park, contravening the Immigration Act and the killing of a rhino. He was sentenced to an effective 13 years in custody after being found guilty on three poaching-related charges.
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Phineas Dinda (a former SANParks full corporal in the rangers corps), Arlindo Manyike (from Mozambique) and Alfa Gwebana (a South African citizen) were also arrested in the Tshokwane section in May 2019.
All three were found guilty of trespassing in a national park, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of an unlicensed firearm, live ammunition and an axe.
Manyike was also found guilty of contravening the Immigration Act. They were all sentenced to an effective 16 years in prison.
The managing executive of the KNP, Gareth Coleman, welcomed the sentences. He said, “We would like to congratulate the prosecution, SAPS and our hard-working dedicated rangers corps who arrested the suspects and presented credible evidence that led to the sentences imposed by the courts.”
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“We hope this will send a message to others that justice will ultimately be served. It is particularly concerning that one of our own employees has been arrested and imprisoned. We are aware of the involvement of staff in colluding with poachers.
“We call on all employees who have information pertaining to this collusion to come forward or use the ethics and fraud hotline.
“With the opening of the Skukuza Regional Court again we are seeing a significant increase in convictions. We expect this trend to increase.
“Poachers may find short-term benefit from poaching, but they will be apprehended impacting on their own, their families and community livelihoods.”
The Skukuza Regional Court resumed hearing cases on April 1 after attempts were made to close it down.
