“We commend members of the public who provided the police with information that led to the breakthrough in their investigations. That a game ranger was among those arrested is disappointing and shameful and calls for police to widen their net and not to leave any stone unturned.
“The cruelty and brutality against the rhino as a symbol of our ecology and rich heritage has gone too far and all involved in this evil trade should feel the full wrath of the law.”
Although no horns were found in the men’s residences, police said they were linking the three suspects arrested at their homes in Lethabong township to the poaching of eight rhinos in Klipkopspruit farm over the weekend. Seven rhinos were found dead and another one was found on Monday.
The men, aged between 47 and 59, would appear in the Brits Magistrate’s Court on charges of rhino poaching.
Modise had earlier said that the provincial government was considering requesting the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assist it to overcome the scourge of rhino poaching.
She had also said that there was a need to clamp down on the issuing of illegal hunting permits as part of intensifying law enforcement and crime intelligence to overcome the scourge of rhino poaching.
In earlier reports it is said the three men already confessed to the massacre of the rhinos. Pelham Jones, a conservationist involved in gathering evidence from the crime scene confirmed that they were looking for one extra suspect.
Paul Steyn of Africa Geographic reports Jones revealed that he had been tipped off after identifying certain tracks on the private farm where the incident took place.
“Informers tipped me off in an interview which I managed to tape as evidence,” Jones said.
Acting on the tip-off, Jones and a private investigator visited the township where the suspects were staying. After gathering further evidence, he contacted the North West Organised Crime Unit and presented the facts to them.
The subsequent raid that took place yielded three suspects, all of whom went on to confess to the killing of seven rhino on the private farm outside Brits.
Jones also told Africa Geographic that these men are only “the foot-soldiers in the crime”. Investigations are underway regarding those involved with the organising of these crimes.
