Alleged poaching kingpin denied bail
Petrus Sydney Mabuza, aka ‘Mr Big’, has been kept behind bars after the magistrate ruled that he was lawfully entrapped by the police.
Petrus Sydney Mabuza, aka ‘Mr Big’. Image: Lowvelder
Petrus Sydney Mabuza was arrested in June when he allegedly transacted with undercover police and received two rhino horns, reports Lowvelder.
He was arrested with three other people, who were charged on six counts related to rhino poaching.
READ MORE: Shooting threat clears rhino poaching kingpin’s bail courtroom
Nozwelo Mahumane was released on bail in June. Moshe Thobela and Romance Khoza withdrew their bail applications.
Mabuza was charged with crimes ranging from rhino horn theft to the illegal possession of rifles and live ammunition. His bail application continued on Tuesday.
During the judgment, delivered today, the magistrate ruled that evidence obtained by police during the subsection 252 entrapment was admissible and denied Mabuza bail.
The matter has been postponed to July 27.
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