Nelspruit - Three police constables and an ex-corporal field ranger implicated in rhino poaching appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Wednesday.
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, a Sapa correspondent reported.
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 spokesman Lt-Gen Solomon Makgale, after the park officials received a tip-off in May, they pulled over a marked Skukuza police bakkie.
Makgale said in a statement that upon further investigation a suspected poacher, armed with a .375 hunting rifle and rounds of ammunition, was found in the back of the vehicle.
He said the firearm, ammunition, a silencer and poaching equipment were seized.
Prosecutor Isbet Erwee on Wednesday asked for a postponement in order to supply the accused's defense with their case dockets.
All four would remain in custody.
Magistrate Andre Geldenhuys postponed the case until January 27 for the dockets to be made available to the defence.
Sapa