Dawid Groenewald: Accused in Mbombela rhino horn bust identified

They made their first appearance in the Nelspruit Magistrate's Court on Thursday afternoon.

The two men who were arrested for the illegal possession and selling of rhino horns on Wednesday appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Thursday afternoon.

They are Schalk Abraham Steyn (48), better known to Lowvelders as AB, and Limpopo game farmer, Dawid Groenewald (52).

The case was postponed to Friday for a formal bail application. They will remain in custody until then. It is not yet clear in which court the case will be heard.

According to the Hawks’ Col. Katlego Mogale, Steyn and Groenewald were arrested on Wednesday in a multidisciplinary operation conducted by the Hawks’ Organised Crime Investigation Unit, Wildlife Trafficking Counter-intelligence, and the private sector, in their continued effort to curb wildlife trafficking in Mbombela.

“The duo were arrested while allegedly transporting 19 rhino horns in two bakkies,” Mogale said in a statement.

“An investigation to ascertain if the suspects are linked to crimes contravening the Endangered Species Act is continuing,” she said.

In May 2018, Lowvelder reported on Steyn after he was arrested and appeared in the Pretoria Criminal Court for an alleged fake sale of buffaloes.

He has since been handed a five-year suspended sentence.

Groenewald, a Limpopo businessman and game breeder, first appeared in court in 2010 after he and 10 others were arrested following a 15-month investigation.

Groenewald, at the time, was pinpointed as the mastermind behind one of South Africa’s largest rhino poaching syndicates.

His co-accused, which included two veterinary surgeons and a pilot, were linked to hundreds of illegal rhino poaching incidents over a four-year period and initially faced over 1 800 charges.

These charges ranged from racketeering, money laundering, illegal hunting of rhino, dealing in rhino horn, and contravening the Biodiversity and Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

"Shoot in guts and leave for hyenas" seems like a just punishment and future deterrent.

But maybe there's a more constructive answer. Life sentence (no parole) of conducting anti-poaching patrols and improving habitat?

These 2 have been flaunting the law for over 10 years. Nothing will become of this, just like nothing has ever become of their numerous previous charges. Typical African, store bought justice.

AB Steyn and Dawie Groenewald released on bail at the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court

The men were arrested on Wednesday afternoon for the illegal possession of 19 rhino horns.

Schalk Abraham Steyn (48), better known to Lowvelders as AB, and Limpopo game farmer, Dawid Groenewald (52), were released on R50 000 bail each on Friday afternoon.

This was during their second appearance in Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Friday. In an unusual turn of events, the case had to be moved to Nelspruit Police Station as the court was closed due to a positive Covid-19 case.

They were released on the condition that they report to their local police stations once a week and that they do not communicate with any witnesses.

Steyn was also made to hand over his passport to the investigating officer as part of his bail conditions. Groenewald had already handed his passport over to police as part of his bail conditions in a case he appeared in for court in 2010 and is still pending.

Steyn and Groenwald were arrested for the illegal possession and selling of rhino horns on Wednesday.

The attorneys for both the accused thanked the presiding magistrate for facilitating them under such extraordinary circumstances. The duo will make their next appearance in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on September 10.

I was high bidder on a hunt with AB Steyn, but never went. I’m guessing it mag have been 2010 or so. Damn glad I didn’t go.

These 2 will die of old age before any of their numerous charges are litigated. African justice at its best.....

The court must be run by a judge from Chicago!

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
These 2 will die of old age before any of their numerous charges are litigated. African justice at its best.....

Sadly, you may well be correct.

Rhino ‘kingpin’ arrested again for dealing in horn

22 July 2021

Dawie Groenewald has managed to stay out of jail after endless postponements of smuggling and racketeering cases against him. Could this be the last time?

One of South Africa’s most notorious alleged rhino syndicate bosses with a genius for staying out of jail, Dawie Groenewald was arrested this week, charged with the illegal possession and selling of rhino horns.

He was apprehended with his co-accused Schalk Steyn, in possession of 19 rhino horns with an estimated value of R2.6-million. Two Toyota Hilux bakkies were also seized.

Groenewald’s Zuma-style use of Stalingrad stalling tactics has kept him one jump ahead of the law for more than a decade. In 2010 he was arrested with nine co-accused, including his wife Sariette, after 20 rhino carcasses were excavated at his farm, Prachtig, following a 15-month investigation called Project Cruiser. Further investigations revealed the horns had been removed before the animals were buried.

The 10 faced 1,736 charges, including racketeering, organised crime, money laundering, illegal hunting of rhino and dealing in rhino horn. Since then trial date postponements have stacked up.

In 2014 the United States Department of Justice appealed to South Africa to extradite Groenewald and his brother, Janneman, to face criminal charges, including money laundering and violating environmental laws.

He was alleged to have solicited wealthy Americans to hunt rhinos at his farm in Musina and to have sourced rhino horns from other farmers for the illegal international black market. A Limpopo court refused the extradition order and his arrest by Interpol.

Groenewald was also linked to a Czech poaching syndicate operating between South Africa and Vietnam, but denied any knowledge of the outfit.

The postponements continued one caused while the prosecution awaited a Constitutional Court ruling that finally confirmed the lifting of South Africa’s moratorium on domestic trade in rhino horn. The outcome was that the State dropped about 60 charges against the accused and an amended charge sheet was subsequently served on the group.

In 2018, the trial was postponed yet again, this time to 2021, though the prosecution at the time said it had been ready for more than a year to call its witnesses.

In February Judge Bert Bam in the Pretoria High Court demanded to know why the trial had been delayed for so long. “This case has been dragging its heels for very long. I want to know what the delays are and what is going to be done to streamline the process,” the judge said.

He demanded a detailed affidavit from the defence team, setting out what caused the delays. “I have no idea what is going on and it is very peculiar that this case is not moving forward. If I find that anyone has delayed this matter on purpose, I will consider making an appropriate order in that regard.”

The case was set for March, but it seems Covid intervened.

The accused were out on bail when they were arrested in connection with an attempt to smuggle 19 more rhino horns.

Judge demands answers over rhino poaching case delays

Feb 10, 2021

Pretoria - More than a decade ago, Limpopo game farmer Dawie Groenewald and his co-accused were arrested on a multitude of rhino poaching-related charges, yet their criminal trial is yet to start - and a judge wants answers.

Groenewald and his eight co-accused once again briefly appeared in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria this week, and their case was postponed to March 1.

But this is only to pave the way forward, and it is expected that the trial will not go ahead on this date.

Judge Bert Bam made it clear this week that he wanted answers as to why the trial had been delayed for so long, “This case has been dragging its heels for very long. I want to know what the delays are and what is going to be done to streamline the process,” the judge said.

He demanded a detailed affidavit from the defence team, setting out what caused the delays. “I want a detailed account of what happened. I have no idea what is going on and it is very peculiar that this case is not moving forward. If I find that anyone has delayed this matter on purpose, I will consider making an appropriate order in that regard,” Judge Bam said.

Groenewald, alleged to be the rhino horn syndicate kingpin, and his co-accused, who include a helicopter pilot, two veterinarians and professional hunters, have appeared in court on several occasions over the years, during which their trial was postponed.

One of the delays was caused as the group was awaiting a Constitutional Court ruling confirming the lifting of South Africa’s moratorium on domestic trade in rhino horn.

This resulted in the state dropping about 60 charges against the accused, and an amended charge sheet was subsequently served on the group earlier.

They are, however, still facing about 1 600 charges, ranging from racketeering, money laundering, illegal hunting of rhino to dealing in rhino horn.

One of the new glitches at the start of the hearing was the fact that advocate Piet van Wyk SC, who had been representing them over the years, passed away last year due to Covid-19. A new legal team took over the defence, headed by advocate Jaap Cilliers SC and his team.

Prosecutor Joanie Spies meanwhile told the court that the prosecution was definitely not to blame for the delay in the case.

The hearing was postponed in 2018 to this week, after it emerged that the first trial date would be in 2021, due to the complexity of the case and the length of time the trial was expected to last.

The prosecution at the time said it had been ready for more than a year to call its witnesses.

The defence on a previous occasion estimated that the criminal trial could last between six months to a year once it had started.

All the accused are out on bail.

The group said to be one the largest rhino syndicates in the country, was arrested in September 2010 after a 15-month investigation called “Project Cruiser”. They were allegedly linked to hundreds of illegal rhino-poaching operations over four years.

In 2013, 26 rhino carcasses, with their horns removed, were found buried on Groenewald’s farm in Musina.

I had said it before and will say it again:

"Money talks, BS walks"

Groenewald and his cronies are more likely to die of natural causes before being convicted.

https://www.iol.co.za/pretoria...6d-bd2b-4768488b153b

Rhino horn trade case delayed again 12 years after arrest of suspects



Published 7h ago



Pretoria - The most delayed criminal trial in the country – of an alleged syndicate said to be illegally trading in rhino horn – was yesterday once again postponed, this time to January 16 next year.

Limpopo game farmer Dawie Groenewald and his co-accused were arrested about 12 years ago on a multitude of rhino poaching-related charges, yet their criminal trial has yet to start.


Groenewald and his eight co-accused once again briefly appeared in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, yesterday, where their trial was postponed to next year.

Yesterday’s appearance was not for a trial, but was for case management by Judge Hennie de Vos. He was told that some of the accused would later this year issue another constitutional challenge against the charges they were facing. The criminal trial would thus not be able to start until another court had ruled on the constitutionality of these charges.

Judge Bert Bam, who has since returned, last year made it clear that he wanted answers as to why the trial had been delayed for so long.


“This case has been dragging its heels for very long. I want to know what the delays are and what is going to be done to streamline the process,” the judge said.

However, in light of the constitutional challenge, and although the prosecution has all along made clear that it is ready to proceed, the trial will not be able to resume, Judge de Vos, who has taken over the trial, was told.

Groenewald, alleged to be the rhino horn syndicate kingpin, and his co-accused, who include a helicopter pilot, two veterinarians and professional hunters, have appeared in court on several occasions over the years, during which their trial was postponed.


One of the delays was caused as the group were awaiting a Constitutional Court ruling confirming the lifting of South Africa’s moratorium on the domestic trade in rhino horn.

This resulted in the state dropping about 60 charges against the accused, and an amended charge sheet was subsequently served on the group. The group now hope that their renewed challenge against the charges will result in more or all of the charges being dropped.

They are, however, at this stage still facing about 1 600 charges, ranging from racketeering, money laundering, and the illegal hunting of rhino, to dealing in rhino horn.

Nice to see that justice is alive and well in RSA- NOT!A year ago I said they would die of natural causes/old age before this is tried. Nothing has changed.

They will change the laws so they do not charge them!