Former KNP field guide pleads guilty to poaching
Kenneth Msibi will be sentenced on September 8.
SKUKUZA – Kenneth Mbisi, former field guide in the Shisangeni area of the Kruger National Park, pleaded guilty to rhino poaching in the Skukuza Regional Court last Thursday.
Msibi was arrested on September 3, 2014. WO Willie Broodryk testified during his previous court appearances.
“At 06:00 that morning a rhino was found with its horns removed. They had been cut off with an axe and a knife,” he said.
A day before, Mbisi had taken a group of tourists on a game drive. They had come across a rhino that was badly injured after fighting with another rhino. The animal died as a result of its injuries.
Investigators noticed that the horn’s removal had happened while Mbisi was on two days’ leave.
The police received further information linking Mbisi to the crime. He had allegedly cut the rhino’s horns off, transported them out of the park wrapped in a blanked and placed them in a white Toyota Corolla.
Police stopped and searched the car in the Komatipoort area. About 50 metres from the car they found a blanket.
“Inside it were two rhino horns,” said Broodryk.
The blanket was tied up with an electrical cable. Traces of the same cable were found in Msibi’s house. This linked him to the crime.
His guilty plea was noted and the case postponed to September 8 for sentencing.
