Man with unlicensed hunting rifle arrested in Calcutta
The Mpumalanga police apprehended a man in Calcutta after they had received information regarding a possible plan to poach around Skukuza.
A 22-year-old man was arrested in Calcutta for the alleged possession of an unlicensed firearm that might have been used in a plan to poach wildlife in the Kruger National Park.
According to a provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, Daniel Makwakwa was arrested on Saturday July 15 after the police had received information regarding a group of people in Huntington, Bushbuckridge, planning to poach around Skukuza in the Kruger National Park.
He said the SAPS responded to the information, which led them to an address of a house in Calcutta, where Makwakwa was found. After a search of the house, a rifle was found.
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Mohlala said Makwakwa could not produce a valid licence for the rifle, and was arrested and charged accordingly.
“The firearm will be subjected to ballistic testing to determine whether it was used in the commission of crimes elsewhere. More charges could possibly be added against the suspect, pending the investigation,” he said.
Makwakwa appeared in the Mkhuhlu Magistrate’s Court on Monday July 17 and was remanded in custody. He is expected to make a bail application during his next expected appearance on Wednesday July 19.
