A 50-year-old Mozambican national, Mario Masiya, will serve 11 years in prison after the Skukuza Regional Court sentenced him for multiple poaching-related offences.

Masiya was sentenced on July 16.

According to Mpumalanga’s National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, Masiya was convicted on seven counts, including trespassing in the Kruger National Park, contravening the Immigration Act, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, unlawful possession of ammunition, conspiracy to commit a crime and possession of a dangerous weapon.

Rangers return fire in Kruger

The offences stem from an incident on December 11, 2024, when rangers from the Lower Sabie Section of the Kruger National Park were conducting patrols in a known poaching hotspot. They spotted Masiya and an unidentified accomplice hiding in the bush.

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According to the NPA, the unidentified suspect, who was armed with a firearm, opened fire on the rangers. The rangers returned fire, fatally wounding the suspect, while Masiya was arrested on the scene.

Masiya was denied bail after it was established that he was unlawfully in South Africa and did not possess the necessary immigration documentation.

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Prosecution proves case in court

During the trial, state prosecutor Lot Mgiba presented evidence from the rangers involved in the operation.

Their testimony was supported by a Department of Home Affairs official, who confirmed that Masiya was in the country illegally. The State also produced a ballistic report showing that the firearm recovered from Masiya had its serial number deliberately obliterated.

The court sentenced Masiya as follows:
• two years’ imprisonment for trespassing in the KNP;
• one year for contravening the Immigration Act;
• six years for unlawful possession of a firearm;
• eight years for possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number;
• two years for unlawful possession of ammunition;
• four years for conspiracy to commit a crime; and
• one year for possession of a dangerous weapon.

The court ordered some of the sentences to run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of 11 years’ direct imprisonment. Masiya was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

The NPA said the sentence demonstrates the justice system’s commitment to combating wildlife crime and protecting South Africa’s natural heritage from organised poaching syndicates.