TWO FORMER SKUKUZA RANGERS SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR POACHING-RELATED OFFENCES
LUTENDO LIVHEBE – MUDAU. The Skukuza Regional Court has convicted and sentenced two former Skukuza rangers, Hendrick Experience Silinda (31) and Archieve Musa Mlambo (38), to fourteen years imprisonment for poaching-related offences, they committed in Kruger National Park. On 26 February 2019, the pair were on duty when the regional rangers received information that poachers were going to enter Kruger National Park, with the assistance of the Skukuza rangers. They followed the information and went to the camp where the two officials were deployed and started searching. They found Silinda and his co-accused Mlambo, in possession of a hunting rifle, 7 live ammunition, a silencer, and three hunting knives.
They pleaded not guilty and claimed that they are being framed. State prosecutor Lot Mgiba, led evidence of the arresting officers who testified about how they found the hunting rifle hidden in their tent. The senior rangers also testified they confirmed that the rifle that was in their possession, does not belong to SANParks. The ballistic report was also presented, it confirmed that the hunting rifle had a serial number obliterated. The pair were convicted of possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with a serial number obliterated, possession of 7 live ammunition and possession of three hunting knives and sentenced to 14 years direct imprisonment each. The court ordered some of the sentences to run concurrently, the effective sentence being 7 years imprisonment each.
The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the conviction and sentence, with the hope it will address the fight against poaching in the country.
