The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela has welcomed the hefty sentences that were handed down to Walter Hendric Mangane, aged 59, Shangani Mathebula, aged 26 and Emmanuel Mdluli, aged 33 for charges relating to killing of rhinos in the Kruger National Park.
The three were convicted as well as sentenced by the Skukuza Regional Court on Thursday, 2 September 2021.
It is said that on 26 November 2017 the three men, who were heavily armed trespassed and entered the Kruger National Park with the intention to kill rhinoceroses.
Moments later, a report was received by the Field Rangers about gunshots that were heard in the park.
The field rangers then responded and followed up on the information and thereafter, with the assistance of a tracker dog they spotted the men. Whilst drawing closer, the rangers saw the poachers shooting two rhinoceroses and they immediately summoned a SANParks helicopter for support and the trio were then apprehended.
The men were in possession of a rifle, with the serial number filed off as well as ammunition, the trio were also found with rhino horns which were stashed in backpacks.
The SAPS members at Skukuza were notified about the incident and a case was opened accordingly. The docket was then assigned to a team of members from Skukuza Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit for investigation.
The team worked tirelessly and the three men were then charged accordingly as well as appeared before court where they were convicted hence their sentencing as follows:
Mangane was sentenced to a total of 45 years imprisonment for trespassing, possession of unlicensed firearm, being in possession of prohibited firearm, possession of a firearm with the intention to commit a crime, possession of unlicensed ammunition, possession of dangerous weapon, and the three counts of hunting rhinoceros.
Meanwhile Mdluli was sentenced to a total of 30 years imprisonment for trespassing, possession of unlicensed firearm, being in possession of prohibited firearm, possession of a firearm with the intention to commit a crime, possession of unlicensed ammunition, possession of dangerous weapon, and the three counts of hunting rhinoceros.
On the other hand, Mathebula who is originally from Mozambique and was in the country illegally, was sentenced to a total of 30 years imprisonment for contravention of the immigration act, trespassing, possession of unlicensed firearm, being in possession of prohibited firearm, possession of a firearm with the intention to commit a crime, possession of unlicensed ammunition, possession of dangerous weapon, and the three counts of hunting rhinoceros.
Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela, the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, has further lauded the collaboration and sterling work displayed by the Field Rangers from the Kruger National Parks, the Investigation team, the Prosecution, as well as the Judiciary. General Manamela indicated that the sentence will hopefully serve as a deterrence to those who would want to emulate the actions of the three accused that crime does not pay.
