19 hours ago
Six rhino horn syndicate suspects granted bail
Five men and a woman accused of being involved in the trafficking of 964 rhino horns valued at R250m were granted bail by the Pretoria magistrate's court on Tuesday.
John Frederick Hume, 83, founder and owner of the Platinum Rhino Conservation Enterprise, was granted R100,000 bail.
The director of a nonprofit organisation, Elizabeth Catharina Van Niekerk, 58, and transport maintenance manager Clive John Mervan Melville, 63, were granted R10,000 bail each while attorney Izak Hermanus du Toit, 50, insurance broker Mattheus Hendrikus Wessels Poggenpoel, 37, and game reserve manager Johannes Abraham Hennop, 52, were each granted R20,000 bail.
'They are collectively facing a total of 55 charges of multiple counts of racketeering, fraud, contravention of the National Environmental Management Act, contravention of the Riotous Assemblies Act, theft and money laundering,' the National Prosecuting Authority and the Hawks said in a joint statement.
It is alleged that between 2017 and 2024, the accused operated an international rhino horn trafficking syndicate and defrauded the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment (DFFE).
'They allegedly obtained permits to trade rhino horn locally, while intending to channel the horns into illegal international markets in Southeast Asia.'
The fraudulent scheme was estimated to involve 964 rhino horns valued at R250m.
After intensive investigations by the Hawks, the six handed themselves over at the Pretoria Central police station on Tuesday, where they were formally arrested.
'During bail proceedings, they all asked to be released on bail because they were not flight risks and had co-operated with the police.'
In his affidavit, Melville disclosed that he had a 2019 conviction for fraud and for being in possession of and transporting rhino horns. He was sentenced to pay a fine.
Poggenpoel disclosed that he had a 2009 conviction for possession of a rhino horn and had paid an admission of guilt fine of R2,500.
'Poggenpoel also disclosed that he will be appearing on September 17 at Winburg magistrate's court because during the visit to his residence, the investigation team found ammunition that was not locked away in a safe and supposedly scheduled medicine without a permit.'
The state did not oppose bail.
The court granted bail and ordered the accused to surrender their passports and not apply for new travel documents while the case was pending.
The court ordered the accused to report to their nearest police station once a week, and instructed that they may not interfere with investigations, tamper with evidence or influence witnesses.
The matter was postponed to December 9 for further investigations.
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