A 42-year-old man, Isaac Sithlangu has been sentenced to 11 years imprisonment by the Skukuza regional court on Thursday for poaching-related offences.
Sithlangu was sentenced for unlawful intrusion into the Kruger National Park, conspiracy to commit an offence, possession of ammunition, possession of a firearm and possession of a dangerous weapon.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said he was initially charged with co-conspirator Abel Manyike, who earlier pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced in October this year.
She said Sithlangu absconded after he was granted bail in 2019 but was later re-arrested.
In August 2019, park rangers spotted the accused while doing their daily routine in Stolznek section using a helicopter.
They were found in possession of a firearm, ammunition and hunting weapons and were arrested.
In aggravation of sentence, prosecutor Lot Mgiba handed in a ballistics report which revealed the firearm that was found in his possession was meant to poach rhinos.
Though Sithlangu was sentenced to 14 years for these offences, the court ordered that the terms run concurrently, resulting in an effective 11-year jail term.
