By Ronewa Jessica Mashamba
Serial rhino poacher, Ntsaku Prince Letswele, 27, was found guilty and sent to jail by the Ermelo Regional Court on Monday, July 1, for hunting down and killing endangered rhino.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement that Letswele was first arrested on December 8, 2022, and later released on bail. This is after Ermelo police received a tip-off about a Toyota double cab carrying rhino horns and firearms. When police stopped the vehicle, Letswele and his co-accused Junior Jorge Chauke, 42, tried to flee, but were quickly caught.
A search of the vehicle revealed four rhino horns hidden in the bonnet, valued at R876,000.
Despite being released on bail, Letswele continued his illegal activities. On March 9, 2023, police received another tip-off regarding a white Nissan Qashqai transporting rhino horns along the R543 road towards Piet Retief.
