Rhino anti-poaching drive bearing fruit‚ police say

The recent arrest of another two suspects on charges related to rhino poaching indicates that the task teams formed to deal with the crime are hard at work and that their work is bearing fruit‚ police said on Wednesday.

One of the suspects‚ a Mozambican national‚ Carlos Mathebula‚ 34‚ was arrested by SANParks rangers in the Kruger National Park on May 30 while the other suspect‚ Margaret Mthetwa‚ 41‚ was arrested by police in Zwelisha‚ Pienaar‚ also in Mpumalanga province‚ on June 2.

Mathebula has been charged with possession of an illegal firearm‚ possession of illegal ammunition‚ and trespassing after a 458 hunting rifle with the serial number filed off and two 458 live rounds were found in his possession.

When SANParks rangers spotted Mathebula in the Kruger National Park‚ he allegedly pointed the rifle at them in an attempt to escape. He was subsequently shot at and injured‚ police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said.

His case was heard in absentia at the Skukuza Magistrates’ Court on June 3 because of the injuries he sustained during the pursuit and subsequent shooting. The case was remanded to Wednesday (today).

Mthethwa has been charged with possession of ammunition‚ possession of rhino poaching equipment and possession of cash not accounted for.

During her arrest‚ SAPS members found five 3.75mm rounds‚ an axe with blood stains‚ a pocket scale and a large sum of money unaccounted for.

She appeared in the Pienaar Magistrates’ Court on the day of her arrest and was released on bail. Her case was remanded to June 19 June.

“The illegal killing of rhinos and the illegal trade in rhino horns is a priority crime for the SAPS. These arrests are an indication that the task teams that were formed to deal with rhino poaching related crimes are hard at work and their work is indeed bearing fruit.

“Curbing environmental crimes‚ particularly rhino poaching‚ is a hard battle to be fought but fight we shall‚” Brigadier Naidoo said.

-RDM News Wire