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Wildlife officials have hailed the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) recent decision to appeal what it called the lenient sentences handed to two rhino poachers in May, as well as the jailing this week of one of the men in a separate case.

Two people accused of money laundering avoided capture during a take-down operation in Mpumalanga. They are accused of paying money into accounts of Kruger National Park field rangers and their families in return for tactical information for rhino poaching syndicates. The Hawks have urged the pair to turn themselves in.

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Amara Cherif, a/k/a "Bamba Issiaka," a citizen of Guinea, was sentenced to 57 months for conspiring to traffic in millions of dollars in rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory, both endangered wildlife species, which involved the illegal poaching of more than approximately 35 rhinoceros and more than 100 elephants. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods.

Pretoria - Two men, Junior Chauke aged 49 and Prince Ntsako Letswele, aged 33 were remanded in custody by the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court after they were arrested for alleged possession of rhino horn. Hawks' spokesperson in Mpumalanga Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said the duo was arrested after police received information about a vehicle with the occupants in possession of firearms, reportedly driving towards Ermelo.

Cape Town - Anti-rhino poaching activist Wayne Bolton has called for stronger collaborative action from the government amid concern over rising rhino poaching cases. According to Bolton, rhino poaching across Africa saw a significant decrease during strict Covid-19 lockdowns, but as the restrictions loosened, poachers intensified their onslaught on the species, with South Africa being hardest hit.

The two main suspects have pending charges of corruption, money laundering and fraud to related wildlife trafficking. Photo for illustration: Susan Scott, Stroop Police have arrested nine suspects between the ages of 22 and 61 in a multidisciplinary poaching blitz codenamed "Blood Orange" conducted in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo provinces. The arrests follows a targeted investigation which involved looking into the suspect’s financial affairs, with auditing firm KPMG brought in to scrutinise the flow of cash into their accounts.

Quiçama Park administrator denounces that individuals with money have "encouraged" poachers. Lack of personnel and transport cited as a reason for poor enforcement. Park has just over 100 staff, but needs at least 600. In 2021, the Government presented a project to stop poaching in the country.

International Rhino Foundation (IRF) communications director Christopher Whitlatch said: "Zimbabwean rhino poachers have been involved in major illegal activities in South Africa. "Taking the Eastern Cape as an example, the Zimbabwean rhino poaching gang that recently escaped from jail had been convicted for killing and dehorning numerous rhinos in hit-and-run incidents in that province. "Other cross-border rhino crimes include South African criminals operating in Zimbabwe," he said

A member of the Namibian Police Force's (NamPol) Protected Resources Unit (PRU) in the Otjozondjupa Region, who is accused of the alleged theft of a rhino horn placed under his care, secured bail on Thursday. Magistrate Peingondjabi Shipo granted the 45-year-old Sergeant Salatiel Simon bail of N.dollars 10 000, on condition that the accused does not leave the district of Otjiwarongo without informing police officers involved in the investigations of his case.

Altesaam 106 verdagtes is vanjaar vir stropery in hegtenis geneem. Intussen maak rolspelers gereed om wildbeskerming en wetstoepassingspogings teen wildmisdaad in Namibië hierdie feesseisoen op te skerp. Van hierdie 106 is 44 vir renosterstropery en 62 verdagtes vir olifantstropery in hegtenis geneem. Die ministerie van die omgewing, bosbou en toerisme se woordvoerder, mnr. Romeo Muyunda, het gesê wat ontstellend is, is dat 93 van dié verdagtes Namibiërs is - 'n groep wat volgens die ministerie die voortou in die stryd teen stropery behoort te neem.

The Kruger National Park (KNP) expects a decline in rhino poaching incidents due to heavy sentences imposed on five poachers in November. The acting managing executive of the KNP, Dr Danny Govender, commended the Skukuza Regional Court for imposing lengthy jail terms in recent cases and said it shows they are making good progress in fighting rhino poaching.

Seven more rhinos have been killed by poachers in Etosha, driving the species ever closer to extinction. Seven rhino carcasses discovered during aerial patrols in the Etosha National Park at the weekend have been confirmed to have been poached. This brings the total of poached rhinos to 16 this year, while there have also been 16 elephants poached this year. Altogether 59 rhinos were poached in the country last year and 95 rhinos in 2015, 56 in 2014 and 9 in 2013.

Seven of the eight rhino carcasses found at the Etosha National Park this week show that the animals had been poached. According to the environment ministry's chief public relations officer, Romeo Muyunda, the eighth animal had died of natural causes. In a statement yesterday, he said no arrests had been made, and reiterated the government's offer of N$60 000 for anyone providing information which could lead to the apprehension of the suspects. The eight rhino carcasses were discovered in the park between 23 and 25 June 2017.

Seven rhino carcasses of which several have already been confirmed to be poached, were discovered in the Etosha National Park this past weekend during routine patrols by officials of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda yesterday confirmed to Namibian Sun that during patrols in the park between 23 and 25 June seven rhino carcasses were discovered. "The carcasses are all believed to be for this year."

The bill, amongst others, proposes that foreigners who are found guilty of wildlife crimes will not be allowed back in Namibia after completing their jail terms. This will apply to foreigners who are found guilty of possession of, and dealing in, elephant and rhino products.

A Chinese man who was arrested and charged after the police found two rhinoceros horns at a rented flat in Windhoek early this year is now a fugitive from justice, having failed to attend a scheduled court appearance last week. With the 29-year-old Chen Nan absent from the Windhoek Magistrate's Court, where he was supposed to appear for the first time since being granted bail in April, magistrate Vanessa Stanley on Wednesday issued a warrant for his arrest, provisionally cancelled his bail and provisionally declared his bail deposit of N$300 000 forfeited to…

Chinese national Nan Chen, arrested in January this year for illegal possession of two rhino horns, is allegedly on the run. The 29-year-old Nan, who is free on bail of N$300 000, was scheduled to make another appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court yesterday, but was absent, and his privately-instructed defence lawyer Kadhila Amoomo also did not know his whereabouts.

The four suspected poachers who were arrested on Saturday following a shoot-out with the police at Khorixas will remain in custody after the court denied them bail.