21 Years in jail for two rhino poachers

A South African resident, who teamed up with a Zimbabwean, has been sentenced to an effective 21 years in jail for killing two black rhinos and dehorning them.

They shot the two rhinos in a wildlife conservancy outside Beit Bridge. The value of the two animals was estimated at about R2.4 million.

Mateu Mahlangu (23) of Johannesburg and Dovhani Sibanda (32) of Driehoek village outside Beit Bridge pleaded not guilty to charges of killing an endangered species and possession of rhino horns and an unlicensed firearm but were convicted Magistrate Auxilia Chiumburu.

It was testified that on 8 April this year, the two men unlawfully acquired a Sako .308 rifle without a firearm licence. They then fitted it with a silencing device before proceeding to Bubye Valley Conservancy outside Beit Bridge. On arrival, the court heard, the two men tracked down two rhinos. They shot and killed the two animals and removed the horns.

They took the horns to Sibanda’s homestead, where they further removed a transmitter from one of the horns and burnt it. The device is used in tracking and monitoring the movement of the rhinos within the sanctuary.

The offence was discovered by the game rangers of the wildlife conservancy and they reported the matter to the local police. Investigations were conducted resulting, in the arrest of Mahlangu and Sibanda. Four rhino horns, knives and a loaded rifle with 12 rounds of ammunition were also recovered from where they were hidden underground.

The court heard that the two men intended to smuggle the horns into South Africa.

News - Date: 17 August 2012

Mashudu Netsianda

Mashudu Netsianda is our correspondent in Beit Bridge, Zimbabwe. He joined us in 2006, writing both local and international stories. He had worked for several Zimbabwean publications, as well as the Times of Swaziland. Mashudu received his training at the School of Mass Communication in Harare.

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