Rhino poachers sentenced to 20 years in jail for killing black rhinos

Two rhino poachers have been sentenced to 20 years in jail for killing two black rhinos at the Great Fish River Nature Reserve (GFRNR).

Arthus Titus Machava, 54, and Disco Mahlaule, 49, appeared in the Eastern Cape High Court sitting in Makhanda on Tuesday.

The duo was found guilty on five charges, including contraventions of the Biodiversity Act, theft of rhino horns, contravention of the Nature and Environmental Conservation Ordinance, and possession of unlicensed firearms.

Sentencing

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said while the two rhino poachers received a combined sentence of 55 years, the court ordered some of the sentences to run concurrently, resulting in an effective 20-year term for each.

“The court determined that Machava and Mahlaule were part of a larger syndicate involved in poaching rhinos to remove their horns. Their responsibilities included transporting firearms and equipment necessary to carry out the poaching.

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“On 3 July 2023, they travelled from Limpopo and Gauteng to the Eastern Cape to execute the operation during the full moon period. After meeting other syndicate members, they proceeded to the GFRNR, where they shot and killed two endangered black rhinos, dehorned them, and stole their horns,” Tyali said.

Arrest

Machava and Mahlaule were apprehended in July last year after being stopped by police at Koonap Bridge near Makhanda.

Subsequent investigations using GPS data confirmed that the suspects had travelled over 1,000 kilometres to a residence in Makhanda, where their phones were switched off for several days.

Tyali said their vehicle remained stationary during this period.

“On the day before their arrest, Mahlaule’s phone was traced near the GFRNR boundary. Evidence presented in court also showed that Mahlaule had been in communication with a known rhino poacher, who deposited R3,500 into his account, intended to cover their return journey to their home provinces along with the rifle and knife used in the poaching.”

Punishment

In her closing argument, senior state advocate Williemien Vos emphasised the need for severe punishment in cases of black rhino poaching, given the critically endangered status of the species.

Despite not recovering the horns, the court agreed that the poaching of these dwindling animals warranted strict penalties.

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