LIMPOPO – According to police spokesperson Lt Colonel Robert Netshiunda, the two suspects appeared in the Lenyenye Magistrate’s Court, today, following their arrest for alleged rhino poaching.
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They were arrested during a multidisciplinary operation involving field rangers, visible policing members and the Giyani Cluster K9 unit officers on Monday, 15 January.
“The suspects allegedly trespassed into a private game farm in Hoedspruit on Saturday, but failed to locate any rhino until they were spotted by field rangers on Monday,” Netshiunda explained.
The gun-wielding suspects managed to escape but one suspect was arrested not far from the farm and led the police to where he had hidden two 375 hunting rifles, 18 rounds of live ammunition, three hunting knives and an axe.
Netshiunda says the second suspect was arrested later on in the Hoedspruit CBD through a tip-off from the community.
Giyani’s Cluster Commander, Major General Mbhazima Ngobeni has applauded the community who alerted the police about the whereabouts of the second suspect.
He added that policing is a joint venture and if police and communities work together, criminals will be isolated and rooted out of the society.
“I appeal to our communities to provide the police with information that may lead to the resolving of cases so that we can ensure that justice is served at all times. No information is too small to provide and as police, we shall treat every piece of information with the confidentiality it deserves,” he concluded.
