MBOMBELA – A former SANDF member and his co-accused, Michael Sithole were convicted and sentenced to 26 years imprisonment in the Nelspruit regional court.
Mpumalanga News learnt that they were found guilty on 13 counts involving rhino poaching and related offences.
The sentencing comes after they were arrested in September,25 ,2010 in the Stelneck area in Kruger National Park when they were about to exit the park through the fence.
During the arrest, police discovered a set of rhino horns ,knives and two riffles were seized from them.
The investigation indicated that both firearms were linked to other rhino poaching scenes in the same area.
This publication also learnt that during the sentencing proceedings, Magistrate Gelden Huis reiterated that the crimes that were committed by the accused were motivated by pure greed, he further indicated that the accused could have been sentenced for an even longer period of imprisonment had it not been for the fact that they were both already in their 50’s and were first time offenders.
He then sentenced both accused to 26 years imprisonment.
