SKUKUZA – The Kruger National Park (KNP) field rangers’ swift tracking of three men derailed their poaching plans and led to their imprisonment. The rangers were commended for their vigour in the war on poaching in the Skukuza Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
On June 15 rangers took note of suspicious-looking tracks in the Kingfisher area of the KNP. They followed the tracks and encountered three men armed with weapons usually used for poaching rhino.
They arrested Mozambicans Bovita Nukeri, Antonie Alberto Sithole and a local man, Mawolize Nyathi of Acornoek with the assistance of the police and other roleplayers.
They were found guilty of trespassing in the KNP, being illegally armed with weapons, ammunition and the intention to poach. The magistrate, Ms Winnie Baloyi imposed an effective sentence of 8 years’ imprisonment each. They were sentenced to one year’s imprisonment for trespassing, four years for the illegal possession of a firearm, which will be served concurrently with a four-year sentence incurred for illegally possessing ammunition. Their intention to poach landed them another three behind bars.
