Businessmen face arrest for kudu poaching

Seven animals killed in night shoot on farm

TWO Port Elizabeth businessmen are under investigation for poaching after they allegedly shot wild animals on a farm near Willowmore – about 250km from Port Elizabeth.

The alleged poaching, on Mark Hume’s farm on the outskirts of Willowmore early last month , has seen police identify Jaco Fourie, 55, and Desmond Roberts, 68, as prime suspects.

Hume, who lives on a citrus farm in Sunlands near Addo, uses the Willowmore farm’s land primarily for livestock farming. The farm also has several wild animals – including kudu – on it.

Shortly after the alleged poaching, a witness who lives on a nearby farm reported the matter to the police’s stock theft and endangered species unit.

The unit – and the elite Green Scorpions – launched a probe into the incident.

Fourie and Roberts were then identified as the prime suspects and could now face a string of criminal charges under the Environmental Act, including trespassing, illegal hunting and poaching.

Both men were interviewed by detectives last month, but declined to provide statements, claiming that they first wanted to consult their attorney.

According to the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (Cipro), Fourie owns various franchises in Nelson Mandela Bay, including the Lorraine Gardens Centre Fishaways outlet and various Debonairs pizza shops while Roberts owned a business in the construction industry which has since been liquidated.

Since early last month, detectives have been investigating the two men, but have not yet arrested them.

Yesterday, Hume declined to comment, saying that while he was aware of the incident he had not been on the farm at the time.

Prominent defence attorney Alwyn Griebenow confirmed that he was representing the men, saying that he would contact them to see if they wanted to comment on the matter. He later said they had declined to do so.

“They declined to give a warning statement to the police. I have consulted them and we are awaiting a decision from the Director of Public Prosecutions.”

Fourie briefly spoke to The Herald before saying that he wanted to consult Griebenow before commenting.

“The police claim the whole thing is about poaching, but it is not poaching. There are huge mistakes in the case as well,” he said. “A lot of things will be coming out in court.”

A farmer who lives on a nearby farm said men had been seen hunting with spotlights at about 2am. “One of the neighbours saw bright spotlights on the farm and thought it was poachers. They went to the farm to investigate after he [Hume] told them no visitors should be on the farm or had permission to hunt.

“While the neighbours were driving on the farm, they spotted one of the workers driving a tractor on a dirt road.

“The tractor was loaded with the remains of a hunted animal,” the farmer, who declined to be named in fear of victimisation, said.

“The cops were alerted and managed to find the worker who had been driving the tractor. The police confiscated the remains and sent them off for DNA testing.”

The farmer said he had been told the men had a key for the front gate of the farm and that they had paid the farm labourers R1 000 to visit the farm.

“Kudu are worth a few thousand rands each and they shot them for less than R200 per animal.”

At the beginning of last month, police went to the home of one of the suspects in Framesby, where six kudu carcasses were allegedly found. A seventh carcass was later handed over to police. The estimated value of the meat is about R25 000.

The kudus and the firearms suspected to have been used in the shooting were confiscated.

Police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills said: “We are awaiting forensic results and a statement from the two men’s attorney. Warning statements were taken from the suspects and they indicated that they would also forward further explanatory statements via their attorneys to the investigating officer.

“The docket will be taken to the DPP within the next week for a decision on how to proceed.”

‘ Kudu are worth a few thousand rands each and they shot them for less than R200 per animal