A regional magistrate in South Africa has found two former Kruger National Park employees, Rodney Landela and Kenneth Muchocho, guilty of killing a white rhino and possession of a firearm with intent to commit a crime. The trial, which lasted for 10 years, concluded with the magistrate rejecting the accused men's claim that they had been framed.
Landela, a former regional ranger, and Muchocho, a state veterinary technician, were arrested in July 2016 after field rangers patrolling the park heard gunshots and spotted two figures running towards a white Toyota Hilux bakkie. Landela, who had a 15-year career at South African National Parks (SANParks), was considered the "crown prince" of the ranger corps and a potential future leader.
The case drew attention to the risk of insider poaching, where people working in conservation and state structures can exploit their positions to facilitate wildlife crime. The State argued that Landela's senior position, control over patrol deployments, and access to key wildlife areas made him a valuable asset to poaching syndicates.
On the morning of 27 July 2016, field rangers heard three gunshots in quick succession, and soon afterwards, they spotted two figures running through the bush towards a white Toyota Hilux bakkie. Ranger teams intercepted the vehicle, and Muchocho was driving, while Landela was in the passenger seat. Landela told the rangers they were looking for a cellphone signal to alert area mission manager Mbongeni Tukela about the gunshots.
Tracking teams following footprints from the spot where the Hilux had initially been parked discovered a freshly killed sub-adult white rhino bull with a gunshot wound and its main horn hacked off at the base. A rifle bag containing Landela's state-issued .375 CZ 550 Magnum hunting rifle and a backpack containing the freshly severed rhino horn were found concealed beneath a thorn bush.
Both Landela and Muchocho denied involvement in the rhino killing, claiming they had been framed. However, the prosecution argued that the accused could not have been framed because the rangers could not have known they would be at the scene. GPS data from Muchocho's vehicle showed it had been parked there for more than 25 minutes before the rhino was shot.
SANParks welcomed the verdict as a "significant victory in the fight against wildlife crime and protection of South Africa's natural heritage". The organisation commended the National Prosecuting Authority for its efforts in bringing the case to a successful conclusion.
Key points
- Two former Kruger National Park employees found guilty of killing a white rhino in 2016.
- The trial highlighted the risk of insider poaching in conservation and state structures.
- The accused claimed they were framed, but the prosecution argued that the evidence pointed to their guilt.
