Poacher sentenced to 25 years after being caught twice in Kruger Park

Posted by Taylah Strauss on 22 March 2022

A poacher who was caught twice in Kruger National Park – the second time when he was out on bail – has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

poaching

In the first incident, Mike Nyathi and his accomplice, Janeiro Chunguane, entered Kruger via the Kingfisherspruit section, where they shot and killed a white rhino on 17 September 2017.

Field rangers heard gunfire and went to investigate. The two men were found with a rifle without a serial number, an axe and a knife. Rangers also found the rhino carcass.

The two were arrested and charged in the Skukuza Regional Court with ‘trespassing, possession of prohibited firearm, unlicenced firearm and ammunition, conspiracy to commit a crime, hunting of protected animals in a National Park, and possession of a dangerous weapon’.

Both men were granted bail during their court hearing, after which Chunguane fled. A warrant is out for his arrest.

Nyathi went poaching in Kruger a second time on 13 May 2019, this time entering via the Satara section.

Rangers – with the help of a tracker dog – found Nyathi hiding under a big fallen tree. Rangers recovered a rifle without a serial number and ammunition.

Nyathi was charged once again and this time was denied bail. He was convicted and sentenced on both incidents to a total of 25 years imprisonment. Nyathi has also been declared unfit to possess a firearm.

Picture: Unsplash

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