Skukuza – Convicted rhino poachers Sipho Clarence Ngomane, Norman Thabang Mogale, and Nkosana Ndlovu have been sentenced to prison terms of between six and eight years.
On Wednesday, (6 December 2023), the Skukuza Regional Court in Mpumalanga sent the trio to prison for rhino poaching-related crimes.
The three, who were arrested in July 2017 for poaching activities in the Kruger National Park (KNP), were sentenced as follows:
- Thabang Mogale, Sipho Clarence Ngomane, and Nkosana Ndlovu were sentenced to six years imprisonment for possession of a prohibited firearm.
- Norman Thabang Mogale, Sipho Clarence Ngomane, and Nkosana Ndlovu were also sentenced to two years imprisonment for possession of unlicensed ammunition.
- Sipho Clarence Ngomane and Nkosana Ndlovu were sentenced to two years for trespassing in a national park
All three were declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of Act 60 of 2000.
The suspects were arrested in KNP while driving a hired vehicle, which upon inspection after getting stopped by vigilant SANParks Protection Services, was found with a large calibre hunting rifle, ammunition, and backpacks with food.
Earlier this year another suspect, Lawrence Fanuel Ubisi, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in August 2023.
Commenting on the matter at the weekend, the South African National Parks said it “welcomed” the sentencing of the convicted rhino poachers.
Forty-two rhino were poached in the Kruger National Park and 143 in the KwaZulu-Natal province from January to June 2023.
