Three men arrested earlier this year in Grahamstown in connection with rhino poaching will appear again in court on 15 March 2017.
Three men arrested earlier this year in Grahamstown in connection with rhino poaching will appear again in court on 15 March 2017.
The men were arrested in June at Makana Resort on the outskirts of Grahamstown after being found in possession of a 72cm rhino horn valued at approximately R1.2 million.
They were arrested shortly after a rhino was found killed at the Buckland's Private Game Reserve outside Grahamstown.
The men made a brief appearance in the Grahamstown magistrate's court today Wednesday 7 December, and their case was postponed by magistrate Ntsoki Moni.
Their lawyer Alwyn Griebenow agreed with the state on the postponement of the case. Briefly speaking to Grocott's Mail after the court appearance, Griebenow said the 15 March court date will be neither for bail application or trial appearance.
"The case will be removed from the magistrate's court to the high court and on the same day we will also arrange a high court trial date," Griebenow said.
When they were arrested, police reported that the men were also found with one darting rifle, saws and knives, drugs used to dart animals, various darts and percussion caps, a variety of camping gear and rations, several cellphones and two rental vehicles.
After their arrest, Eastern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci said the men could possibly be linked to 10 rhino poaching incidents in the Eastern Cape, as well as Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.
The three men, Forget Ndlovu and Jabulani Ndlovu both Zimbabwean nationals, and Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu a South African are not related, according to Soci.
