Former Kruger ranger guilty in decade-long poaching case
SKUKUZA — A former Kruger National Park regional ranger and a former state veterinary technician have been convicted of killing a white rhino, bringing a prosecution spanning approximately a decade to a guilty verdict.
The Skukuza Regional Court found Rodney Landela and Kenneth Muchocho guilty of illegally hunting a protected species and possessing a firearm with intent to commit a crime. SANParks welcomed the judgment on Friday, describing it as a victory for wildlife protection.
According to SAnews, the men initially faced six charges. Four were subsequently withdrawn: theft relating to rhino horns, conspiracy to commit a crime, disposing of or tampering with evidence, and escaping from lawful custody. The convictions concern the two remaining charges.
The case arose from the killing of a white rhino in Kruger in July 2016. Daily Maverick reported that regional magistrate MJ Ngobeni rejected the men’s claim that they had been framed and found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. Both remain in custody ahead of sentencing scheduled for 16 October.
The convictions involve men who held positions of trust within the park’s conservation and animal-health operations. Landela worked as a regional ranger, while Muchocho was an animal health technician with the State Veterinary Service.
SANParks credited the National Prosecuting Authority, investigators, law enforcement agencies and witnesses for their contributions to the prosecution. In its statement, the organisation said the judgment brought closure to a matter that had remained before the courts for approximately 10 years.
The verdict comes as Kruger continues to face substantial losses from rhino poaching. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment reported that 114 rhinos were poached in the park during the first eight months of 2026, compared with 123 over the corresponding period in 2025.
Although those figures show a decline, the department said reducing poaching further must remain a priority alongside strengthening the long-term recovery of rhino populations. For Landela and Muchocho, the next stage of the case is sentencing; no prison terms have yet been handed down.
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