Rhino poacher filmed in action
Image by: LAUREN MULLIGAN
A video of a rhino hunt by game farmer Marnus Steyl, against whom criminal charges relating to rhino poaching were withdrawn this week, has surfaced.
The Mail&Guardian published the video on its website on Friday, which was filmed in January last year, and shows Steyl, accompanied by a professional hunter, repeatedly shooting a rhino.
It shows the animal crying as it struggles to stand up after the first shot, then shows several people taking turns posing next to the animal with a rifle.
The National Prosecuting Authority withdrew charges against Steyl in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court this week.
He had been accused alongside Thai national Chumlong Lemthongthai with, among other things, illegally trading in and exporting rhino horn.
Lemthongthai pleaded guilty and was convicted this week. He is said to be the most senior member of a rhino horn smuggling ring ever convicted in the country.
Charges against another Thai national Punpitak Chunchom were also withdrawn, reported the Mail&Guardian.
It quoted NPA Gauteng spokeswoman Phindi Louw as saying there were several reasons for the withdrawal of the charges, including that the case was "based on circumstantial evidence".
Lemthongthai is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday.
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Posted 194 days agoIf this video is new evidence that was obtained, and related to to the case, then he can be charged again, because the case was only withdrawn.
It is not that he was found ''not guilty'' during the court case.
AriphoTah
Posted 194 days agoHow is it that we normal human beings allow nature to be raped and tormented by brainless money grabbers.
Steyl does not deserve the oxygen he breathes.
Sasha*-Fierce
Posted 194 days agoMaxi
Sasha*-Fierce
You got it wrong! They are all wrong, all those people are stealing, the difference is that the other ones are killing rhinos while others mayhem tax payers! At list you acknowledged where your loyalty and mouth my guts suggest to me that you are a beneficiary of corruption like all the political heads and their family and friends!
ZamaMofokeng
Posted 194 days agoTokolosh
sabc1
I would say the most guilty is the south Africans who have this culture of " hunting"
The judge is indirectly " implicated" by ignoring this fact because poaching of these rhinos will
still continue and it will 99% of the time involve locals.
It like punishing the drug user and ignoring the seller and manufacturer.