Africa-Press – South-Africa. The SAPS provincial commissioner in Mpumalanga,
Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has welcomed the decision to
sentence three poachers, even before forensic results were available.Sibusiso Mahlaule, 29; George Manyise, 30; and
Rodrigues Ngobeni, 34, were sentenced on Friday in the Skukuza Regional Court
for poaching.READ | ‘We need help Mr President’ – North West residents raise
concerns at imbizoAccording to police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy
Mohlala, the men were brought to court while the probe was ongoing and
detectives were still waiting for the forensic results.”They decided to plead guilty. The court
accepted their plea, however, they were not exempted from punishment,”
said Mohlala.They were each sentenced to two years’ imprisonment
for trespassing, and five years for conspiracy to commit a crimeREAD | Two Mozambican rhino poachers jailed for 23 yearsMeanwhile, Ngobeni was handed an additional eight
years for contravention of the Immigration Act.Their sentences emanate from an incident in which
they were caught by field rangers at the Kruger National Park, on 18 April
2021.The rangers, working at Pretoriuskop Section
(inside the Kruger National Park), discovered something sinister that raised their
suspicions.Mohlala: The rangers then began to be on the lookout and followed some tracks with the assistance of tracker dogs, as well as a helicopter belonging to SANParks.The field rangers spotted the three men, and cornered
and apprehended them.
A .375 H&H bolt action rifle with a fitted
silencer, as well as three .375 H&H cartridges, were found in their
possession.Police in Skukuza were notified and all three
suspects were arrested and charged.”A charge of contravention of the Immigration
Act was added upon Rodrigues Ngobeni after police established that he was from
the country of Mozambique and was in South Africa illegally. The case was then
handed to the experts in the field of the Stock Theft Unit of SAPS at
Skukuza,” added Mohlala.
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