Five alleged rhino poachers arrested

23 July 2016 - 12:50 By TMG Digital

Five suspected rhino poachers arrested on Thursday during the police’s Operation Rhino are to appear in the KwaMbonambi Magistrate’s Court on charges of possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition‚ trespassing and illegal hunting.

Three of the suspects are South Africans and two are from Mozambique‚ police said in a statement on Friday.About three hunting rifles‚ 20 live rounds of ammunition‚ silencers‚ knives and axes were confiscated.Their arrests bring to 10 the number of people arrested in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga parks in the past six days by a team comprising various police units and South African National Parks rangers.Five of the other suspects arrested at the weekend face similar charges‚ plus the possession of rhino horns. Two of the suspects appeared in the Ubombo Magistrate’s Court‚ two others in the Ngwelezane Magistrate’s Courts and one appeared in absentia in the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court.In another case‚ in the Skukuza Magistrate’s Court‚ three men - Solly Tobela‚ Simon Ngulele and Sipho Carlos Ngoveni - were sentenced to 15 years‚ 21 years and 12 months respectively for trespassing. ..

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