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A Mozambican national serving a prison sentence for rhino poaching has been slapped with another lengthy jail term after being convicted of killing a second rhino in the Skukuza National Park.
The National Prosecuting Authority said 47-year-old Lucky Mabunda, was sentenced in the town’s Regional Court on Thursday to ten years direct imprisonment.
NPA spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, said he was already serving a 19-year jail term for rhino poaching and was convicted and sentenced for the second incident in 2019.
She said the court heard that Mabunda had entered the Skukuza National Park between February and September 2019 when he was nabbed by field rangers who also found the carcasses of two rhinos.
He was also found in possession of a firearm, axe, ammunition, and “other items geared for hunting.”
Nyuswa said he pleaded guilty to killing one rhino, before ballistic evidence taken from the rhino killed in February, later provided the link back to him.
“It confirmed that the bullets found on the carcass were fired from the rifle found in the accused’s possession,” she said.
