A man has received a 15-year prison sentence for trying to poach rhinos.Cyrile Ndegeya/Anadolu via Getty Images
- A man has been handed a 15-year jail term for attempted rhino poaching.
- He was arrested after the attempt at a farm in Limpopo and linked via camera footage.
- Another person fled the scene.
A man’s effort to hunt rhinoceroses at a farm in Hoopdal, Limpopo, has led to a 15-year prison sentence.
Peter Zacharia Chaya, 27, was sentenced by the Thabazimbi Regional Court on Tuesday, as reported by police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.
The events unfolded in April when law enforcement identified a vehicle involved in a poaching attempt.
“When officers tried to stop the vehicle, the driver didn’t comply, lost control, and crashed into nearby bushes,” Ledwaba explained.
The individual in the vehicle was subsequently arrested.
A second accomplice managed to escape.
“Game camera footage from the farm positively linked the apprehended suspect to the attempted poaching incident.”
He faced multiple charges and was subsequently convicted.
The court handed down various sentences that will be served concurrently.
This resulted in an effective jail term of 15 years.
Provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, remarked: “This sentence sends a strong message to those who threaten our protected wildlife. Our police officers in partnership with all stakeholders, remain resolute in combating poaching and safeguarding our natural heritage.”
Last month, a suspected poacher’s body was discovered in the Kruger National Park. It is believed that he was killed during a confrontation with field rangers the night before.
Rangers returned to the area to resume the search for the alleged poachers and found the deceased.
Two rhino horns were located inside a backpack at the location.
In another incident in June, a suspected poacher was shot dead and another apprehended during a shooting incident with rangers who found them trespassing in the Satara area of Kruger National Park.
One of the individuals was armed. When rangers commanded them to halt, he opened fire, resulting in a shootout.
Police seized a hunting rifle, five rounds of ammunition, an axe, a knife, and two cellphones.
News24 previously reported that over 100 rhinos were poached in the first quarter of the year. Between January and March, there were 15 arrests related to rhino poaching.
Last year, 420 rhinos lost their lives.
