KNP ranger allegedly sent accomplice away to hide poached rhino horns during bakkie chase
The KNP ranger who were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly poaching rhinos in Satara, had the guts to, after he was stopped by other rangers, to command his accomplice to drive away and drop the horns in the veld.
SKUKUZA – An award-winning Kruger National Park (KNP) regional ranger, Mr Rodney Landela, and a veterinarian technician of the Animal Health Directorate, Mr Kenneth Motshotso, were arrested on Wednesday in the KNP for rhino-poaching-related offences.
On Thursday they were being detained at Skukuza Police Station. Both appeared yesterday in the Magistrate’s Court in Bushbuckridge. They will be detained for seven days before they will be allowed to apply for bail.
Because of the seriousness of the crime, the case is being investigated by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
Landela, who has been in the KNP’s service for 15 years, has received several KNP Achievement Awards, including an Individual Achievement Award in 2012. He is also highly regarded by the Game Rangers Association of which he is an executive member. He started out as a general worker in the KNP.
He was also recently trained to pilot a drone during anti-poaching operations.
He was in charge of the Mopani North Region of the KNP.
SANParks rangers were on a normal patrol in the Satara area when they heard three gunshots close to Kingfisherspruit at 13:00 on Wednesday. They rushed in the direction of the shots to investigate.
As they approached they saw two men, one in a green ranger uniform and the other one in khaki clothes, running towards a bakkie which was parked nearby.
They got into the bakkie and sped off. The rangers came across the carcass of a white rhino that was obviously poached just a few minutes ago. The rangers gave chase and called for assistance. The SANParks chopper and other rangers rushed to the scene.
The suspects’ bakkie was cut off by another group of rangers at Satara who rushed to assist in the pursuit. They were stopped. Landela gave orders to Motshotso to drive away while he stayed behind. He drove away, but came back after a while. That is when the rangers became suspicious and searched the bakkie.
Bloodcovered shoes were recovered from the bakkie. Other rangers were sent to the spot where Motshotso went with the bakkie. Here they found a high-calibre hunting rifle and two horns. These were most probably dropped by Motshotso from the bakkie in the veld when he drove away.
The chief executive officer of SANParks, Mr Fundisile Mketeni, reacted to the news. “It is indeed sad and horrible to hear that one of our own has been arrested for rhino poaching-related activities. These are the men who are tasked with leading the anti-poaching operations in the park. We, however, applaud our field rangers who effected the arrest, as difficult as it was for them to arrest their superior.
This is evidence of the commitment of our employees to the fight against poaching where ‘no favour nor fear’ is their guiding principle in the war against this scourge. We are confident that, with this calibre of men and women in our parks, we will win this fight,” he said.
On Saturday June 18, two SANParks rangers were arrested in Skukuza for alleged rhino poaching.
