Rhino poaching: 4 foreigners sentenced

2010-10-28 22:25

Polokwane - Four foreign nationals were sentenced in the Modimolle Regional Court on Thursday for attempted rhino poaching, Limpopo police said.

Alpheus Mokale, of the province's stock theft unit, said the four were found trying to poach rhino on a nature reserve in Lephalale in July this year, but were arrested.

"They were arrested before they could kill any rhino," he said.

Zimbabwean Jimmy Monyana, 27, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment - three years for illegal hunting, and another three years for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Joseph Vineni, 29, and Edison Manyiki, 33, both Zimbabwean, were each sentenced to three years' imprisonment for illegal hunting, and Mozambican national Alec Baloyi, 33, was sentenced to three years on the same charge.

"A Mercedes-Benz that they were found using at the time of the attempted crime was also confiscated by the State," Mokale said.

- SAPA