Brothers plead guilty to poaching

TWO brothers arrested for rhino poaching pleaded guilty at the Giyani Magistrate’s Court, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said yesterday.

The NPA’s Limpopo spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, said Nicolaas, 56, and Gideon, 53, van Deventer were sentenced for conspiracy to hunt rhinos, illegal hunting, killing and de-horning a rhino bull, possession of rhino horns, selling rhino horns, trespassing and possession of a loaded firearm.

“Gideon was sentenced to an effective 10 years’ imprisonment and Nicolaas will serve 15 years,” she said.

The brothers were arrested on January 6, 2017, for the offences committed between December 2016 and January 2017.

“Advocate Makuvele told the court the duo first made the headlines in KwaZulu-Natal 10 years ago when they were caught poaching rhinos in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park,” she said.

“Several adult rhinos and calves were shot indiscriminately and left to die.”