Elephant Poachers in Skukuza Get 8 Years Imprisonment
Two more poachers, caught on South African soil, were sentenced on Thursday (3 June) after they killed an elephant in November 2018 in the Skukuza National Park. The two men – both from Mozambique – were sentenced at Malamulele Regional Court to eight years imprisonment. Enock Sibanda (31) and Eckson Shirinda (28) both pleaded not […]
Two more poachers, caught on South African soil, were sentenced on Thursday (3 June) after they killed an elephant in November 2018 in the Skukuza National Park.
The two men – both from Mozambique – were sentenced at Malamulele Regional Court to eight years imprisonment.
Enock Sibanda (31) and Eckson Shirinda (28) both pleaded not guilty, but were convicted of trespassing in the Skukuza National Park, contravention of Immigration Act, possession of prohibited obliterated firearm, possession of ammunition, illegal hunting and killing of an elephant. Sibanda was also found guilty of possession of an illegal firearm.
The two men were arrested on 14 November 2018 by rangers, inside the Kruger National Park.
In arguing for a suitable sentence, the state prosecutor, Norman Makhubele, told the court about the impact of animal poaching on the environment… explaining that it affects the environment by depleting certain species and therefore causing animals that are endangered to become extinct.
The court sentenced them to eight years for illegal hunting and killing of an elephant by removing its tusk, 12 months’ imprisonment for trespassing, 12 months for contravention of the Immigration Act and eight years for possession of prohibited obliterated firearm and ammunition.
The NPA welcomed the conviction and sentences which will run concurrently.