Former ‘crown prince of the Kruger’ Park found guilty of rhino poaching

A decade-long trial has ended in the conviction of two former Kruger National Park employees for the killing and dehorning of a white rhino in 2016.

Former Kruger National Park regional ranger Rodney Landela and state veterinary technician Kenneth Muchocho have been convicted of killing a white rhino in the park in 2016, bringing a decade-long trial in the Skukuza Regional Court to a close.

Delivering judgment on Friday, regional magistrate MJ Ngobeni rejected the accused men’s claim that they had been framed, ruling that the State had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Both accused were found guilty as charged on two counts, namely killing a rhino and possession of a firearm with intent to commit a crime.

At the time of their arrest in July 2016, both men occupied positions of trust in state structures operating inside the Kruger National Park.

Landela, then 34, had built a 15-year career at South African National Parks (SANParks). Joining the organisation in 2001 as a general worker, he rose through the ranks to become regional ranger for Marula North, overseeing vast operational sections of the park.

He was regarded as a potential future leader of the ranger corps. In court, Dr Xolani Funda, SANParks’ general manager for area integrity management, testified that Landela was held in such high esteem that he was considered the “crown prince” of the ranger corps and a likely candidate to become chief ranger. Shortly before his arrest, Landela had also been nominated for an executive position at the Game Rangers’ Association of Africa.

Muchocho was employed as an animal health technician by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), stationed at Skukuza to monitor animal diseases.

The case drew attention to the risk of insider poaching, in which people working in conservation and other state structures can potentially exploit their positions, access to park operations and specialist equipment to facilitate wildlife crime.

From the outset, the State had argued that Landela’s senior position, control over patrol deployments and access to key wildlife areas gave him capabilities valuable to poaching syndicates.

On the morning of 27 July 2016, field rangers patrolling Block 37 in the Kingfisherspruit section of the Kruger National Park heard three gunshots in quick succession. Soon afterwards, they spotted two figures running through the bush towards a white Toyota Hilux bakkie.

Ranger teams dispatched to block escape routes intercepted the vehicle near the Majekejeni firebreak four-way junction. Muchocho was driving. Landela was in the passenger seat.

When field ranger Samuel Ndlovu stopped the bakkie at gunpoint, Landela told him they were looking for a cellphone signal to alert area mission manager Mbongeni Tukela about the gunshots reported in Block 37.

Landela then got out of Muchocho’s vehicle and entered Ndlovu’s SANParks vehicle. He instructed Muchocho to drive further down the road alone to find a signal, saying they needed to notify Tukela about the gunshots and coordinate backup.