Four poachers found guilty at Skukuza Regional Court

This week, SANParks expressed its approval of the finalisation of two long-running rhino poaching trials at the Skukuza Regional Court.

On May 14, the court convicted Nito Mathebula of trespassing in a national park, breaking the Immigration Act and killing a rhino.

He was sentenced to an effective 13 years imprisonment.

On May 17 the court also convicted Phineas Dinda, a former SANParks full corporal in the Rangers Corps, Arlindo Manyike from Mozambique and Alfa Gwebana, of trespassing in a national park, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of an unlicensed firearm, live ammunition an axe. Manyike was also found guilty of contravening the Immigration Act. They were all sentenced to an effective 16 years in prison.

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The managing executive of Kruger National Park, Gareth Coleman, welcomed the sentences, saying, “We would like to congratulate the prosecution, SAPS and our hard-working dedicated Rangers Corps, who arrested the suspects and presented credible evidence that led to the sentences imposed by the courts.

We hope this will send a message to others that justice will ultimately be served. It is particularly concerning that one of our own employees has been arrested and imprisoned. We are aware of the involvement of employees, colluding with poachers. We call on all employees who have information pertaining to this collusion to come forward or use the Ethics and Fraud Hotline.

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“With the reopening of the Skukuza Court, we are seeing a significant increase in convictions. We expect this trend to increase. Poachers may find short-term benefits from poaching, but they will be apprehended, impacting severely on their own, their families’ and communities’ livelihoods,” he concluded.