Rhino poacher sentenced to 77 years

A man has been given what is thought to be the heaviest sentence ever for rhino-poaching - 77 years in jail.

Mandla Chauke was sentenced in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Tuesday. He was charged with murder, three counts of illegal hunting of rhino, theft of horn, illegal possession of firearms and trespassing in a national park.

The murder charge related to the death of his accomplice, Samson Elias Msimango, who was shot by rangers in the Kruger Park.

"He was responsible for the death of [Msimango] because they knew that, by entering the park on foot, there was a likelihood that they would be shot," said the police's Warrant Officer Oubaas Coetzer.

Some of the sentences will run concurrently but Chauke still faces 47 years in prison.

"The efforts of our rangers have been rewarded," said Kruger National Park spokesman William Mabasa. "We hope this is going to be a precedent that other magistrates will follow."

National police commissioner Riah Phiyega has also welcomed the sentence.

Chauke, Msimango and an accomplice entered Kruger National Park on April 23 2011. They killed an adult bull rhino and badly wounded a cow and her calf.

The gunshots, the court heard, attracted the attention of rangers. In a shootout Msimango was shot dead and Chauke was arrested.

The third poacher escaped.

Rhino horn, firearms and ammunition were recovered by the rangers.