Jail doors have slammed shut behind three rhino poachers.

Three Mozambican citizens each received a five-year jail sentence on Thursday, 10 July, in the Louis Trichardt Regional Court. Augustus Nkuna (40), Foster Nyoni (40) and Manyanga Shiringa (42) were arrested on 13 May last year by the Tshamutumbu Police while poaching rhinos in the Nwanedi Nature Reserve in the Tshipise area.

Two other suspects were also arrested with the three men, but they were later acquitted on all charges.

Nkuna, Nyoni and Manyanga pleaded guilty in terms of a plea bargain that they entered into with the national prosecuting authority. In addition, the trio also received an additional 12-month suspended sentence.

In the meantime, the police in Musina have arrested another four suspects for allegedly poaching a rhino in the Maremani Nature Conservancy last Friday.

Three of the five suspects are local residents, while the other two are also from Mozambique.

One suspect, however, is still on the loose. Provincial police spokesperson Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi confirmed that the suspect managed to escape police custody with rhino horns. During the suspects' arrest, the police seized an unlicensed .458 hunting rifle and five life rounds of ammunition.

“Police are hot on his heels,” said Mulaudzi. At the time of going to press, Mulaudzi could not confirm whether the suspect had been rearrested.

Meanwhile, the other four suspects appeared briefly in the Musina Magistrate’s Court on Monday, said Mulaudzi. Shumani Phaswan (47), Wilson Mavhungu (38), Thilivhali Mulaudzi and Michael Sithole (37) were charged with the illegal hunting of a protected species and the possession of an unlicensed firearm.

According to Mulaudzi, Phaswana and Mavhungu were previously released on similar charges on R1 500 bail each. They were not granted bail on Monday and will remain in custody with their co-accused until their next court appearance on 7 August.