Three men will serve lengthy jail terms for theft of protected plants worth about R2m.
Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Zweli Mohobeleli said Shadrack Matambo, 43, Leonard Khumalo, 53, and Thabani Sibanda, 39, were sentenced in the Kroonstad magistrate's court on Thursday.
They had been spotted by a traffic officer at a fuel station along the N1 near Kroonstad a year ago.
“She confronted them about transporting suspicious cargo. They, however, managed to escape while she was escorting them to the police station.
“The suspects abandoned the vehicle they were travelling in, with 50 bread tree cycads. They neither had a permit to possess nor transport the plants.”
In December, the Welkom serious organised crime investigation (SOCI) unit and Welkom tactical response team (TRT) were led to Gauteng, where Matambo was successfully traced and arrested.
A follow-up operation conducted by Welkom SOCI and Sasolburg TRT in February saw Khumalo and Sibanda cornered in Gauteng.
Zimbabwean Matambo was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for theft and three months for being in South Africa illegally. Khumalo was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for theft, while Sibanda will serve an eight-year jail term.
TimesLIVE
Jail time for cycad thieves
Image: SAPS
Three men will serve lengthy jail terms for theft of protected plants worth about R2m.
Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Zweli Mohobeleli said Shadrack Matambo, 43, Leonard Khumalo, 53, and Thabani Sibanda, 39, were sentenced in the Kroonstad magistrate's court on Thursday.
They had been spotted by a traffic officer at a fuel station along the N1 near Kroonstad a year ago.
“She confronted them about transporting suspicious cargo. They, however, managed to escape while she was escorting them to the police station.
“The suspects abandoned the vehicle they were travelling in, with 50 bread tree cycads. They neither had a permit to possess nor transport the plants.”
In December, the Welkom serious organised crime investigation (SOCI) unit and Welkom tactical response team (TRT) were led to Gauteng, where Matambo was successfully traced and arrested.
A follow-up operation conducted by Welkom SOCI and Sasolburg TRT in February saw Khumalo and Sibanda cornered in Gauteng.
Zimbabwean Matambo was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for theft and three months for being in South Africa illegally. Khumalo was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for theft, while Sibanda will serve an eight-year jail term.
TimesLIVE
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