Close to 170 arrests made in Kruger National Park in a year
Four alleged rhino poachers made an appearance in the White River Magistrate's Court on Monday following their arrests in two incidents at the weekend. Three of them - Simon Tembe‚ 25‚ Fernando Obet Chivuri‚ 22‚ and Samuel Jonas Cossa‚ 23 - were arrested in the Kruger National Park’s Tshokwane section on Friday.They had‚ police said‚ “apparently shot and injured a rhino”‚ and “were found in possession hunting rifle‚ ammunition‚ some cartridges‚ a silencer and an axe”.William Afredo Zitha‚ 23‚ was apprehended in the Houtboschrand section of the park later the same day. Police said his accomplices escaped.All four men are foreigners.Their cases were postponed to November 17 for further investigation.“So far the arrests in the park are fast approaching the 170-mark over a 12-month period‚” a police statement said.The South African police Service’s “Kruger National Park Rhino Task Team has been working closely with the park's rangers and has‚ in the process, assisted in securing lengthy jail sentences for rhino poachers”...
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