More than 200 animals killed this year but statistics suggest officials may be winning the war
A convicted rhino poacher who was sentenced to 52 years behind bars by the Skukuza Regional Court is expected to serve an effective 34 years in jail as some of the sentences will run concurrently.
Sipho Titus Khoza was arrested in the Kruger National Park (KNP) in September and December 2016.
In the first incident in September 2016, SA National Parks rangers followed tracks which led them to two people who were found in possession of a heavy calibre hunting rifle, ammunition, and poaching equipment.
The pair was identified as Sipho Titus Khoza and Simon Khoza. They were charged and appeared in court to apply for bail which was granted. Simon Khoza skipped bail and didn’t attend his trial. He is still at large.
During December 2016, rangers in Stolznek heard shots while on patrol and made a follow up, they then spotted three individuals whom they apprehended after giving chase.
It was later established that the three had killed two rhinos for their horns. The suspects were identified as Sipho Titus Khoza, Francisco Mlambo and Sam Lejane. During their bail application, Mlambo and Lejane were granted bail and absconded, leaving Khoza to go on trial alone.
On November 18 Sipho Titus Khoza was found guilty and Sipho Titus Khoza was found guilty on 12 counts related to the two incidents.
He was sentenced to two years for trespassing for the first case of September 2016, five years for possession of a firearm with a silencer; six years for the illegal possession of a firearm with a serial number filed off; a further five years for the possession of a firearm to commit crime and another two years for the possession of ammunition without a permit. He was given a further one year sentence for the possession of a dangerous weapon, an axe.
Khoza was slapped with a further 33 years for the December 2016 incident. The sentence included two 10 year terms for the illegal killing of a rhino.
The rhino poaching scourge continued this year with 82 animals killed in the Kruger National Park between January and June. In total 210 rhino were poached on state properties and 49 in privately-owned parks during the same period.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has revealed that rhino poaching rates in Africa have continued to decline from a peak of 5.3% of the total population in 2015 to 2.3% in 2021. The organisation noted that at least 2,707 rhinos were poached across Africa between 2018 and 2021.
Danny Govender, acting Managing Executive of KNP, Dr Danny Govender commended the Skukuza Regional Court for imposing the lengthy jail term.
“This is a huge triumph for the work of our dedicated rangers, who work tirelessly to ensure criminals responsible for poaching our wildlife are brought to book. They are the first ring in the chain of justice being served. It is satisfying when the court hears the compelling evidence presented by the prosecution and meters out sentences commensurate with the heinous nature of the crime committed. We are grateful to all who presented credible evidence before the court and are happy that our courts are sending such a strong message to would-be criminals. We are hopeful that all his accomplices will be also be arrested and face the full might of the law,” Govender said.
Earlier in the week the Skukuza Regional Court sentenced convicted poacher Sylvester Zitha to an effective sentence 17 years behind bars. Zitha, 40, was arrested in October 2019 in the Kruger National Park (KNP) for poaching after rangers heard shots being fired.
They followed the tracks of two poachers and then gave chase in the Tshokwane section of the park. They managed to spot the two suspects who were running and apprehended them. The two were found in possession of a high calibre hunting rifle fitted with a silencer, two rhino horns, an axe and ammunition. They were handed over to the Police for further investigations.
The suspects then applied for bail and the second accused Richard Phiri, absconded and is still being sought by the police. The trial went ahead on 15 November 2022 and Zitha was found guilty on six charges including trespassing, illegal possession of ammunition and a firearm with a silencer, killing of a rhino, possession of an axe and conspiracy to commit a crime. – news@mukurukuru.co.za
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