MAKHANDA – The high court of South Africa, Eastern Cape division seating in Makhanda has sentenced Zimbabwean nationals, Francis Chitiyo (35), Trymore Chauke (30), Meshak Chauke (27), Simba Masinge (32), Nhamo Muyambo (32), and Abraham Moyane (36), to sentences ranging from ages between 20 and 16 years, for conspiracy to commit theft of rhino horns and unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition.
Five men, except for Meshack Chauke, made the much publicised daring escape from Makhanda Correctional facility in October 2022, after the conviction.
Chitiyo was sentenced to an effective 20-year jail term, Muyambo to 19 years, Moyane to 18 years, Trymore Chauke and Masinge to 17 years each and Meshack to 16 years. Only two of the men were in the country legally.
In the period before 31 July 2018, all the men stayed near each other, with some sharing accommodation in East London. At some point before their arrest on the said date, they conspired to jointly commit rhino poaching, to steal rhino horn and sell same into the lucrative illicit trade in the product. The obtained and unlicensed 375 calibre hunting rifle, which was fitted with a silencer to supress the gunshots, to avoid detection during their illegal hunt.
On the afternoon of their arrest, the six travelled in two vehicles towards the Makhanda area, where there are numerous game reserves housing population of rhinos.
Before they reached their destination, one of the vehicles suffered a mechanical breakdown.
They were stopped by members of the rhino poaching task team of the police, patrolling the N2 highway while towing the other vehicle. Inside the vehicle, two axes, knives, and cell phones were discovered. The disassembled hunting rifle was found concealed in the tailgate of one of the vehicles.
Meanhile the gang was in custody, no rhino poaching incidents were reported in the Eastern Cape.
However, since the escape of the five, 13 rhinos were poached during the first three months of 2023. Investigations to establish the involvement of the gang in the said poaching’s are being conducted and further charges will be brought in the subsequent trial if they are linked. Delivering the sentence, the court noted that it was more than a coincidence that when the gang was in custody there were no poaching in the Eastern Cape.
The National Prossecution Authority(NPA) welcomes the sentencing of the six member gang for conspiracy to commit Rhino poaching and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, it is worth celebrating that the men, all Zimbabwean nationals were sentenced to jail terms ranging from between 16 and 20 years even though they were not convicted of the actual act of killing a rhino or stealing its horn.
Five of the men made headlines when they escaped from lawful custody after their conviction and there is evidence that they continued with poaching rhino while on the run until they were re-arrested.
Spokeperson of the NPA Eastern Cape division Luxolo Tyali added that. Eastern Cape director of public prosecutions, Barry Madolo commended the investigation for securing the lengthy jail terms even though they were not convicted of the actual killing of a rhino or the theft of a rhino horn.
