Moz poachers plead guilty to charges
Three Mozambican rhino poachers to spend a long time in jail.
NELSPRUIT – Three Mozambican men admitted guilt to charges of rhino poaching and were each sentenced to 16 years' imprisonment.
Julius Ngwenya (20), Daniel Jadere (22) and Antonio Malungu (20) pleaded guilty to all the charges against them in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Friday.
Magistrate Mr Eddie Hall, in handing down sentence, told the court that rhino poaching was increasing despite all efforts to curb it.
In the Kruger National Park alone in 2010, 146 rhino were killed, 252 in 2011, 425 in 2012, and just eight months into 2013, 378 have already been poached.
He said at this rate, by 2026, there would be no rhino left.
The three accused were first arrested on May 10, 2012 in the Crocodile Bridge area of the Kruger National Park. This was during a joint operation between SANParks, rangers, police and the army.
The men had killed a white rhino and her calf.
They said they were recruited by a man who was shot dead during their arrest. They had testified that they had been promised R2 000 each. All three stated that they had not shot the rhino, but had helped dehorn it with an axe.
Prosecutor Ms Isabet Erwee said to hack through a horn took a team effort as it was not an easy mission to accomplish. Erwee also stated that the remorse shown by the accused, had come too late.
The part of the country that has been most affected by rhino poaching is Kruger National Park because it borders on Mozambique.
It is also because of the easy access through the lack of fencing between the two countries.
This has now become a gateway for poachers who are rapidly becoming better equipped, armed and organised.
