Two Suspected Rhino Poachers Appear In Court

Two suspected rhino poachers have appeared in the Groblersdal Magistrate's Court, Limpopo police said on Tuesday.

 Arthur Mashaba, aged 43, and Albertus Muloti, aged 40, appeared on charges of the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition on Monday, Colonel Ronel Otto said.

 Charges against three other suspects were dropped because they could not be linked to the firearm and ammunition.

 The case against Mashaba and Muloti was postponed to next Tuesday for further investigation. They would remain in custody. They were arrested on Friday evening after information was received about possible rhino poaching in the Marble Hall area.

 After a tip-off police stopped and searched a car and a bakkie. The five were arrested. A hunting rifle, silencer, ammunition, and an axe were seized.

 AFP reported that over 100 rhino were poached in the month of October pushing the death toll closer toward 800 for the year.

 The conservation status of rhino have become critical as the number of rhino killed is set to surpass births, leading to overall population decline.

 The Witness reported last month on the uncovering of an alleged rhino poaching conspiracy in Durban in which two women were arrested.

 The women attempted to organise a poaching hit with an undercover police officer and were charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, a hunting rifle, and with conspiracy to illegally hunt a rhino at Umsuluzi game park in the KZN Midlands on 24 April.

 By:
 South African Press Association