South Africa: Send a message to rhino syndicates by giving poachers tough jail sentences

  • by: Georgina B
  • recipient: Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court

Members of South Africa’s biggest and most violent rhino poaching syndicates, accused of obtaining 84 rhino horns, were arrested last week.

Ten alleged members of the syndicate, many of whom hold positions of authority and trust, including a police officer, a lawyer, and a pilot, appeared in the Hatfield Magistrate's Court, Pretoria, on World Rhino Day on Monday.

The syndicate is believed to be responsible for the slaughter and mutilation of rhino in both state and privately owned reserves in South Africa between June 2008 and June 2012, including a pregnant cow and a small calf.

Only two of the poached rhino survived the attacks.

The syndicate is alleged to have obtained up to 84 rhino horns by poaching rhino, stealing the horns and obtaining them in other illegal ways: 41 of the horns were taken from 24 rhino that were poached; 14 horns were stolen with the remaining 29 horns obtained by other means.

It is alleged the syndicate sold the rhino horns on to the Eastern black market, specifically Vietnam.

Please sign and share the petition to call on the South African justice system to send a message to other rhino poachers by punishing the arrested syndicate members to the full extent of the law.

The court case must act as a deterrent for other syndicates.

 

 

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