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Convicted abalone poacher 52-year-old Ryno Swanepoel has been sentenced to an effective three months imprisonment by the Gqeberha Magistrate’s court.
His Citroen motor vehicle valued at R80 000 has also been forfeited to the State.
This is subsequent to his arrest by the Serious Organised Crime Investigation team of the Hawks in Nelson Mandela Bay on the 19th of July last year.
Swanepoel was arrested shortly after a red Citroen was found abandoned on the N2 with a flat tyre - bags containing 120 kilogrammes of abalone with a monetary value of R432 000 were found inside the vehicle.
Captain Yolisa Mgolodela of the Hawks says while out on bail, he made a number of court appearances before his ultimate sentencing this week.
Swanepoel was given 24 months direct imprisonment of which 21 months is suspended on condition that he not be found guilty of a similar offence.
