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EXTRACT FROM THE FOLLOWING THIRD PARTY SOURCE: News24 The alleged ringleader of a rhino poaching syndicate has lost his renewed bid for bail. Judge Bert Bam, in the High Court in Pretoria, dismissed an appeal by Hugo Ras against a February ruling by a Pretoria magistrate that he was not entitled to bail. Hugo Ras © Craig Nieuwenhuizen The judge said he would give reasons for his ruling by the end of next week. The safari company owner is one of a group of 10 accused, who were arrested in September last year in a countrywide operation by the Hawks. Eight of his co-accused – including his wife Trudie, brother Anton, a warrant officer from the Hawks Willie Oosthuizen, attorney Joseph Wilkinson, pilot Bonnie Steyn and the alleged main hunter, Mandla Magagula – were earlier released on bail. However, Ras and his brother-in-law, Abraham Smit, would remain in custody. Smit is also wanted in the US on six charges of wire fraud. Ras faces 248 charges, including a charge of racketeering, the unlawful possession of scheduled medicine, the receipt of two elephant tusks and a large number of charges relating to rhino poaching. Ras’s advocate, Johan Le Grange, argued that the state’s opposition to bail was based on an affidavit by investigating officer Colonel Johan Jooste, who relied on hearsay evidence that could not be tested in cross-examination. He said Ras was never caught with rhino horn in his possession, there was no proof of any links with people from Eastern countries and no reliable evidence that he would flee or interfere with state witnesses. He said it was significant that only one of the so-called ‘Section 204 witnesses’, who were to testify against his client was in the witness protection programme. Le Grange further argued that his client’s previous convictions should not count against him. Colonel Jooste said in an affidavit that he had evidence that Ras had threatened a person with assault, offered to “take out” a female magistrate of Pretoria North who presided in the 2011 bail hearing of a co-accused, and told another witness he was going to kill her boss. According to Jooste it was “general knowledge” in gang circles that Ras had instructed members of the Macks Gang to assault and intimidate people who were giving him trouble. Colonel Jooste further stated that the wife of one of the Section 204 witnesses had seen a suspicious person with a pistol at their home. He said the witnesses were very scared because they knew what Ras was capable of. State advocate Joanie Spies argued that Ras had a long history of clashing with the law, even when he had already appeared in court and was out on bail. She said Ras was convicted on no less than 20 charges between 2000 and 2009, including nature conservation charges, numerous charges involving illegal hunting and importing game, crimen injuria, assault and the possession of an unlicensed firearm. - See more at: http://africageographic.com/bl...sthash.Vp4t8Sz5.dpuf http://africageographic.com/bl...r-loses-bail-appeal/ | ||
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Any news on the crooks from Out of Africa?? | |||
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South Africans Dawie Groenewald and his brother Janneman have been charged in the United States with conspiracy to sell illegal rhino hunts, and numerous related crimes, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The federal indictment charges the Groenewald brothers and their company (Valinor Trading CC, dba Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris) with Lacey Act violations, conspiracy, mail fraud, international money laundering, and structuring (“structuring bank deposits to avoid reporting requirements”). Between 2005 and 2010, they sold illegal hunts to American hunters at gun shows and conventions, including donating hunts to a Safari Club International (SCI) auction in Kansas City, Missouri in 2006, and a National Rifle Association (NRA) auction in Louisville, Kentucky in 2008. In order to cover up their rhino horn trafficking operation, the Groenewalds told American hunters that the rhinos which would be hunted were “problem” or “nuisance” animals, and as such, trophies could not be exported. They intentionally did not obtain permits from either provincial or national authorities in South Africa for these hunts. After the rhinos were shot and the requisite trophy photos taken (the defendants also paid videographers to film some of the hunts), the horns were removed by “agents and employees” of Out of Africa, and allegedly sold on the black market. Payments for these illegal rhino hunts were made by American hunters to Janneman Groenewald in Autauga Countly, Alabama; funds were transferred to and from Dawie Groenewald and Out of Africa in South Africa. U.S. Attorney George L. Beck, Jr., said, “These defendants tricked, lied and defrauded American citizens in order to profit from these illegal rhinoceros hunts.” “Not only did they break South African laws, but they laundered their ill-gotten gains through our banks here in Alabama. We will not allow United States’ citizens to be used as a tool to destroy a species that is virtually harmless to people or other animals.” Sam Hirsch, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division, warned, “We will do all we can to prosecute those who traffic in rhino horns and sell rhino hunts to Americans in violation of foreign law.” This case should send a warning shot to outfitters and hunters that the sale of illegal hunts in the U.S. will be vigorously prosecuted regardless of where the hunt takes place.” The ongoing investigation of Out of Africa is part of “Operation Crash”, an ongoing nationwide effort to bring rhino horn traffickers to justice, led by the Special Investigations Unit of the Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement in coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice. South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority and the South African Police Service “Hawks” provided invaluable assistance in the investigation of Out of Africa. The U.S. plans to seek extradition of the Groenewald brothers to face charges. | |||
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Thank you, very interesting. But, any news what had happened to them in South Africa?? | |||
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Postponed trials. It was said 2014 that it would start 4 August 2015 but still no word. (5 years now) If the Dawie and his gang eventually do stand trial, they are expected to face thousands of counts of illegal hunting, dealing in rhino horns, racketeering, money-laundering and fraud. The criminal indictment in its current form runs to more than 700 pages. And close to 200 witnesses could be called to testify against them. http://killingforprofit.com/ | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting Hugo Ras loses bail appeal
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