Africa-Press – South-Africa. A suspected poacher has been handed an effective seven-year prison sentence after being found guilty of trespassing in the Kruger National Park.
Brian Phiri, 40, was sentenced in the Skukuza Regional Court in Mpumalanga on Tuesday.
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Phiri entered the park on 14 June 2021. Field rangers who were on duty at Lower Sabi noticed footprints and alerted rangers that there were intruders in the park, said police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.
“[It appeared] that the intruders gained entry through the Sekelbospan area. The rangers then followed up on the tracks with the help of a tracker dog. They then managed to track down the suspects. However, one of the suspects fled and he is still at large,” said Mohlala.
Phiri was apprehended and was found in possession of a hunting rifle, ammunition and an axe. The gun’s serial numbers had been filed off.
Mohlala said:
He was handed a three-year sentence for trespassing, one year for the contravention of the Immigration Act, seven years for possession of an unlicensed firearm, two years for possession of unlicensed ammunition, and one year for the possession of a dangerous weapon.
The sentences will run concurrently, meaning Phiri will serve an effective seven-year sentence.
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