Bail for three in R1m rhino horn case

THREE men charged with allegedly poaching a valuable white rhino from a game farm near Grahamstown and illegally harvesting its massive horn have been released on R15 000 bail, each with strict conditions, after awaiting trial for close to a year.

Jabulani Ndlovu, 39, Forget Ndlovu, 36, and Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu, 37, failed in their first bail bid last year.

The state had argued it had an excellent case against the men.

Police allege they caught the three men – who are not related -- red-handed in a chalet at Grahamstown’s Makana Resort with a 10.27kg freshly harvested rhino horn, valued at close to R1-million, a saw, a dart gun and M99 tranquilliser.

The police raid on the resort came shortly after a white rhino bull was poached at the nearby Bucklands Game Reserve.

Senior state advocate Buks Coetzee argued that they faced a lengthy term of imprisonment and this increased the likelihood they would try to evade trial.

The state also argued that the three men were in the country illegally and were a flight risk.

But Judge John Smith yesterday upheld their appeal against the previous refusal to grant them bail.

He agreed that the state had a strong case against the three men, that the charges were serious and they faced lengthy jail terms.

He said they also clearly had the financial means to travel.

But he said the law required that he also consider imposing strict bail conditions that could curtail any possibility of them being a flight risk.

“It is trite that the mere fact that they may be Zimbabwean citizens and have travel documents enabling them to travel to that country does not in itself constitute an impediment to the granting of bail,” the judge said.

Police have alleged the men are likely to be part of a large and sophisticated poaching syndicate.

They also said they have evidence that the men may be behind dozens of other rhino poaching incidents in the Eastern Cape.