Mystery surrounds fresh release of poaching suspects

THREE alleged rhino poachers, rearrested last month in Grahamstown with alleged links to two poaching incidents in Limpopo, are once again out on bail.

The trio – prime suspects in dozens of poaching incidents in the Eastern Cape and elsewhere – were rearrested as they were leaving the Grahamstown Magistrate’s Court late last month.

Prior to their rearrest, Jabulani Ndlovu, 38, and Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu, 37, of Port Elizabeth, and Forget Ndlovu, 40, of George, had been released on R15 000 bail each in the Grahamstown High Court on May 17.

All three appeared in the Hoedspruit Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday after warrants of arrest were issued as they were allegedly linked to two separate poaching incidents in Hoedspruit, near the Kruger National Park.

Investigators are probing a possible link to a countrywide poaching syndicate responsible for the slaughter of almost 100 rhino.

All three were granted R5 000 bail in the Hoedspruit Magistrates Court.

Limpopo police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe yesterday confirmed that while they were granted bail, Sikhumbuzo was still in custody as he said he could not afford the R5 000 bail.

Mystery, however, surrounds how the three Ndlovus – they are not related – were granted bail as the Eastern Cape detective investigating the bulk of the cases was not called to testify. Ngoepe referred queries on that issue to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). The detective, from the Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit, was summonsed to testify in court, but was never called by the state prosecutor to divulge his evidence.

Asked a string of questions relating to the release, NPA spokeswoman Bulelwa Makeke replied: “The matter is still being investigated and we await a report and comprehensive response from the Director of Public Prosecutions’ Limpopo office. We will revert as soon as we receive it.”

The three were first arrested last June when police caught them in a chalet at Grahamstown’s Makana Resort. Police say the men were caught with 10.27kg of rhino horn valued at close to R1-million as well as darts, tranquillisers and other poaching equipment.

In an affidavit submitted to court in November, investigators said the three were prime suspects in 40 rhino killings in the Eastern Cape, as well as about 50 in KwaZuluNatal, five in Limpopo and four in the Southern Cape.

The affidavit said the trio were also being probed for 20 similar Eastern Cape poaching cases involving some 40 rhinos poached since 2009.

Based on evidence gathered, the Asset Forfeiture Unit raided Jabulani’s luxury home in October last year to seize assets believed to be the ill-gotten gains of the illegal rhino trade. — TMG