Rangers caught with rhino horn appear in court
The horns - weighing 4kg in total - had been removed from a rhino estimated to have been about five years old
WHITE RIVER – The two rangers of a private concession within the Kruger National Park (KNP) who were caught with rhino horns on Wednesday, were apparently about to sell it to a Mozambican national when they were arrested that morning.
Mr Kennth Bohani Msibi (40) and Mr Leonard Pumusa Makukule (50) were apprehended in Komatipoort early Wednesday morning after they had allegedly smuggled two horns, that were removed from a rhino that had died of natural causes, out of the Kruger.
Msibi and Makukule worked at Shishangeni Private Lodge. The horns – weighing 4kg in total – had been removed from a rhino estimated to have been about five years old. A police special task team, under the leadership of Lt Genl Vinesh Moono, was busy with crime-scene investigations in the KNP when they received a tip-off that Msibi and Makukule had taken the horns out of the park.
Police officials, SANParks rangers and officials of Tracker traced them to Komatipoort where they were arrested. “Both suspects were allegedly in negotiations to sell the horns to a Mozambican national,” police spokesman Lt Genl Solomon Makgale said.
“The Mozambican could not be traced, but detectives were able to confiscate his Ford Ranger as well as a Toyota Corolla belonging to Msibi. Detectives are working closely with their counterparts from Mozambique to trace the Mozambican,” Makgale added.
Msibi and Makukule briefly appeared in the White River Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of unlawful possession of rhino horn and restricted activities within a national park. They were remanded in custody until their next appearance this Friday.
According to an informed source, two other rangers at Shishangeni were also arrested in connection with the incident. Makgale could not confirm this at the time of going to press.
