Women to be sentenced in rhino poaching case
Two women will face the long arm of the law after conspiring to kill a rhino.
THE first two women to be convicted in KZN of conspiring to poach rhinos for their horns are due to be sentenced in Ladysmith next month.
Confidence Angel Mlambo (32) and Nokwanda Trendy Khumalo (22), were convicted in the regional court on charges of jointly conspiring to illegally hunt rhino in the Umsuluzi Game Reserve between Weenen and Colenso in April 2013.
They were also found guilty of unlawful possession of a .303 rifle with telescopic sights.
The court found that Mlambo and Khumalo had acted with a common purpose to commit the crimes.
During the trial the court heard evidence that a police agent from Johannesburg set a trap for the women. He was asked by them to shoot a rhino in Umsuluzi Game Reserve for its horns, which were to be sold in Gauteng.
The women had provided the agent with the rifle and drove to Ladysmith with him, where they were arrested.
The trial began in September last year, and has now been postponed to 18 August for sentencing.
In 2012 poachers had slaughtered a total of 668 rhinos for their horns.
The number rose to 947 in 2013, and increased again to 1 215 last year.
READ more in our Rhino Diaries
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