Rhino poachers get 37 years behind bars

Two persons found guilty on charges of poaching, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition and removing the horns from a rhino carcass were sentenced to a collective 37 years imprisonment by the Mankweng Regional Court last week.
Provincial Police Communications Head Motlafela Mojapelo indicated that Andries Mathebula (49) and Shadrack Zitha (42) were arrested in Westenburg in September 2015 when found in possession of firearms, ammunition and an axe.
Investigations then positively linked the recovered axe to a rhino poaching incident that occurred on 3 September 2015 in the Hoedspruit policing area. Game rangers patrolling the farm on the day discovered the dehorned carcass of an white rhino while following up on an incident of trespassing by unknown persons.
Mathebula was sentenced to 15 years for rhino poaching, 15 years for removing the horns from a rhino carcass and five years for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
Zitha was handed down a 24 year sentence for rhino poaching and removing the horns from a rhino carcass and five years’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.

Story: RC Myburgh
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