Ten convicted abalone poachers, five of them employed by the Department Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) at the time of their arrest, were handed hefty sentences in the Western Cape High Court.
Hawks spokesperson Siyabulela Vukubi said the ten faced charges of racketeering, money laundering, corruption and possession of abalone and were sentenced on Friday.
“This comes after the Bellville based Serious Organised Crime Investigation of the Hawks in collaboration with SAPS Tactical Response Team, Special Task Force, Asset Forfeiture Unit, and the Department conducted an integrated operation during March 2018 .
“The suspects allegedly operated as a syndicate in Gansbaai area and were under the Hawks radar for a period of time until they were apprehended.
“The Department officials allegedly colluded with abalone poachers by illegally selling back the confiscated abalone and escorting illegal abalone shipment. After their arrest, the suspects made several court appearances where they were eventually granted bail until their sentencing,” said Vukubi.
The former DFFE employees Adam Baadjies, 42, Rudolf Andrew Louw, 40, Alistair Hillmar Maans, 47, Linda Nkeleni, 48, and John Stephanus Karelse, 53, each received sentences ranging between 15 years and 10 years imprisonment.
Their colluders, Frederick Myburgh, 52, Dennis Swart, 42, Eugene Herandien, 59, Richard Malan, 55, and Steve Dlovo, 40, received sentences ranging from five years imprisonment to three years correctional supervision.
“The Western Cape acting Provincial Head of the Hawks Brigadier Walters commended the team for the collective effort in bringing the perpetrators to book. She further expressed her excitement that the wheels of justice have finally turned,” said Vukubi.
Cape Times