A 51-year-old Congolese rhino poacher and money launderer has been sentenced to 18 years in prison by the Middleburg Regional Court on January 15.
The suspect pleaded guilty to all charges during a court appearance on Wednesday. Meanwhile, 15 co-accused are scheduled to appear later this month in the Nelspruit Commercial Crimes Court in Mbombela.
Dr Dion George, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, commended the court for the lengthy prison sentence, highlighting the importance of combating rhino poachers.
The sentencing comes shortly after Dr George, attended a course at the Southern African Wildlife College. During which he acquired invaluable ranger skills but also gained critical insight into the complex challenges the country faces regarding poaching and the illicit trade of wildlife and its derivatives.
“I can assure South Africans that poachers’ reign of terror on South African wildlife is coming to an end. The sentence imposed on the Congolese poacher is indicative of our renewed zero-tolerance stance on all forms of poaching and we believe that the justice system will also find the rest of the suspected syndicate members guilty,” said Dr George.
According to reports, the 51-year-old suspect operated within the Kruger National Park and collaborated closely with locals who bribed rangers to obtain critical information that facilitated their illicit activities.
Dr Dion George emphasized the importance of supporting rangers who risk their lives daily to safeguard the country’s vulnerable wildlife.
“These few bad apple rangers and locals will not taint the great work done by the many dedicated rangers we have working our parks. South Africans should continue to support the rangers who put their lives at risk and remain committed to protecting our country’s vulnerable wildlife,” he said.
Emphasising a zero-tolerance approach toward poaching, Dr Dion George has directed the legal team to oppose bail for any poacher apprehended within the country’s national parks.
The Star