Rustenburg - Two suspected rhino poachers are recovering in hospital after a shootout ensued with rangers at the Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, national police said on Tuesday.
“[The] suspects are under police guard at a local hospital after they were wounded during a shootout,” said Lieutenant General Solomom Makgale in a statement.
They appeared at the White River Magistrate’s Court in absentia last week, Makgale said. “Investigation is still continuing and it is not known yet, whether the suspects may have been involved in other rhino poaching incidents.”
He said the two were arrested in separate incident last week after they were found trespassing in the park. “Mozambican national, Carlos Ngwane and Victor Mashile whose nationality is not known, were arrested in separate areas but not without resistance in the form of a gun battle with the rangers. Both suspects were shot and wounded before they were arrested.”
Makgale said the first incident happened at Malelane at about 8pm on May 5, and the second incident happened at Crocodile Bridge at 12:50am. “Two hunting rifles fitted with silencers, 14 rounds of ammunition and two axes were seized. The rifles were sent to the SA Police Service’s Forensic Science Laboratory in Pretoria for ballistic tests to determine if they were used to commit other crimes,” Makgale said...
The men were charged with unlawful possession of arms, ammunition, dangerous weapons, and trespassing in a national park. They were expected to appear again in the White River Magistrate’s Court once they had been discharged from hospital.
ANA