Brothers sentenced to 11 years on poaching-related charges in the Kruger
Two men were recently sentenced in the Skukuza Regional Court following their arrest in July 2022.
Two siblings, Arshandi Zitha (34) and Peter Zitha (30), were sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment on poaching-related charges in the Skukuza Regional Court yesterday, March 2.
A provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, said three suspects, including the Zitha brothers, had entered the Kingfisher Section of the Kruger National Park (KNP) on July 18 last year.
He said field rangers who had been patrolling the KNP that day suspected there were intruders and summoned a helicopter to help trace the suspects. The Zitha brothers were discovered, but the third suspect disappeared without a trace.
The siblings were found in possession of a hunting rifle without a licence, three live rounds of ammunition, three bags, a knife and an axe. The Skukuza police were called and the men were arrested. It was then discovered that the duo are from Mozambique and in South Africa without valid documentation. They had also entered the park without permits.
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They were sentenced as follows:
• Count one (trespassing in a national park): two years’ imprisonment
• Count two (contravention of the Immigration Act): one year’s imprisonment
• Count three (possession of a prohibited firearm with no serial numbers): six years’ imprisonment.
• Count four (possession of unlicensed ammunition): two years’ imprisonment
• Count five (conspiracy to commit a crime): four years’ imprisonment
• Count six (possession of a dangerous weapon): one year’s imprisonment.
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Mohlala said the court had ordered that count one and two run concurrently with count five, which totals four years, while count four will run concurrently with count three, another six years’ imprisonment.
He said count six, which is one year’s imprisonment, will run on its own. The brothers will therefore effectively be behind bars for 11 years.
He added that the two were further declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearm Control Act.
