SA: Zimbabwean plant poachers sentenced to decade behind bars

By Agencies

FOUR Zimbabwean nationals were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by the Kuruman Magistrate’s Court after they were found guilty of being in possession of specially protected plants with an estimated black market value of R446,500.

The spokesperson for the Northern Cape MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform, Bongani Silingile, explained that the accused were arrested in 2022 because they did not have the necessary permits to be in possession of the protected plants.

“They were charged under the Northern Cape Nature Conservation Act 09 of 2009 after they were found in possession of a combined number of 2,850 plants with an approximate street value of R446,500,” said Silingile.

He welcomed the convictions and sentencing and believed that it would send a strong message to poachers that they would face the full might of the law.