Suspected poachers to appear in court

Johannesburg - Three police constables and an ex-field ranger implicated in rhino poaching are expected to appear in the Mbombela Regional Court on Tuesday.

During their previous appearance in November last year, the case was postponed for the dockets to be made available to the defence.

During the time, the constables, Arnold Mashele, Dennis Mkhonto and Morris Sehlabela, and the field ranger, Phineas Dinda, were not asked to plead to charges of conspiracy to hunt rhino and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Mashele, Sehlabela and Dinda were arrested in May after a joint operation between the Hawks and national park officials. Mkhonto was arrested later.

According to national police spokesperson Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale, after the park officials received a tip-off in May, they pulled over a marked Skukuza police bakkie.

Makgale said at the time that a suspected poacher, armed with a .375 hunting rifle and rounds of ammunition, was found in the back of the vehicle.

The firearm, ammunition, a silencer and poaching equipment were seized.