The case against the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) officer accused of poaching in the Kruger National Park has been postponed yet again.
The 28-year-old Rabelani Rodney Ndou was arrested on Sunday, 15 April, in the Mabilingwe area of the Kruger National Park after he had allegedly killed a buffalo cow. Ndou appeared briefly in the Louis Trichardt District Court on Tuesday.
During his arrest, police seized a .308 hunting rifle, some extra ammunition and a cellphone from Ndou. He was arrested, while three other suspects allegedly fled from the scene. These suspects have not been arrested yet.
At his first court appearance, Ndou was charged with performing a restricted activity involving alien species without a permit and illegal access to a national park. He was also charged with the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. This charge has since been changed to poaching.
In the meantime, Ndou is out on R3 000 bail.
The police suspect that Ndou's rifle might have also been used to kill a rhino in the national park and have requested ballistic tests to be done on the weapon. These tests are still not completed and Ndou's case was therefore postponed until 8 August.