New tool tracks Europe’s role in international illegal wildlife trade

Our digital geojournalism tool #WildEye gives easy access to data on seizures, arrests, court cases and convictions related to wildlife crime in Europe

Wildlife traffickers are increasingly active in Europe, which is growing in importance as both a transit hub and a market for illegally-traded endangered species and their products. So what are the law enforcement agencies doing? And how would you know?

Until now, there has been no one place to easily access information on seizures, arrests, court cases and convictions related to wildlife crime in Europe.

#WildEye is a digital geojournalism tool that addresses this gap. Launched on 28 January 2019 by Oxpeckers Investigative Environmental Journalism in partnership with the Earth Journalism Network, #WildEye maps and tracks data on law enforcement interventions across greater Europe.

#WildEye builds on the Oxpeckers Rhino Poachers Court Cases tracker, which documents prosecutions and court cases across Southern Africa involving alleged rhino poachers. The idea behind both tools is to aggregate publicly available data and make it easily accessible for use by journalists, policymakers and the general public.

Using search filters, tags, geolocation, and custom online map-making, #WildEye enables users to find out about and track seizures, arrests, court cases and convictions that interest them. It is an open source tool, freely available to those who want to use and share it.

Oxpeckers will be continuously updating and managing the map’s data, based in part on input from users. We welcome any guidance, tips and contact information that could be helpful to our development and data-collection efforts.

Journalistic investigations

#WildEye is part of a broader project that aids journalists monitoring and investigating illegal wildlife trafficking in Europe and the UK. Their in-depth investigations expose wildlife smuggling networks and how they work across the continent, providing insights into how the links operate on a global scale.

An exposé of an organized transnational crime ring smuggling tiger parts from the heart of the EU is just one of the investigations currently headlining #WildEye. Other stories report on how wildlife traffickers use mail delivery services, the Internet and the Dark Web to smuggle their contraband.

These and the ongoing investigations aim to expose the criminal networks behind wildlife trafficking in Europe and how they work and to highlight the impact this type of activity has on society. We also hope to identify gaps in law enforcement that allow illegal trafficking to thrive, and to share success stories.


(Editors note: Full arrest list of alleged poaching gang. Document edited for readability.)

HUNTING OUTFITTER: Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris
Dawie Groenewald
Sariette Groenewald
Janneman Groenewald

VETS: Nylstroom Animal Clinic and Limpopo Wildlife Consultants.
Dr. Karel Toet
Dr. Manie du Plessis
Karel's wife, Marisa Toet was also arrested
Koos Pronk works for Karel, arrested in court

PROFESSIONAL HUNTERS:
Tielman Erasmus
Gys du Preez
Nardus Rossouw


Name/Accused:
S v Dawie Groenewald (49), his brother Janneman (47), his wife Sariette & 9 Others, including veterinarian Karel Toet and professional hunter Nardus Rossouw

Charge:
Dubbed the 'Musina Mafia', the accused face 1,872 charges of racketeering, illegal possession and illegal dealing of rhino horn, fraud and defeating the ends of justice. Authorities charged them after finding the carcasses of 26 rhino at the Groenewalds' Musina farm, Prachtig, that were allegedly illegally hunted and dehorned without permits. Several of the charges were withdrawn against them after the Constitutional Court lifted the moratorium on domestic trade in rhino horn, but they still face over 1,600 charges ranging from racketeering and money laundering to illegally hunting rhino, dealing in rhino horn and contravening the Biodiversity and Prevention of Organised Crime Acts.

Date of Arrest:
9/30/2010

Bail:
All released on bail, except Nardus Rossouw, whose bail was revoked after he was arrested on other, related charges. Rossouw was granted R30,000 bail in November 2018, after pleading guilty to charges of unlawfully receiving and being in possession of rhino horn

Station:
Musina CAS 292/09/2010

Court Appearances:
21 July 2014 for trial in the North Gauteng High Court. Postponed to August 2015. Postponed to 28 June 2016.

On 28 July 2016, the case was postponed to 15 June 2017, pending the final outcome of a civil court battle about the validity of the 2009 moratorium on trade in rhino horn. After the Constitutional Court lifted the moratorium on domestic trade, the state dropped several charges against the accused.

The High Court in Pretoria was informed on 15 June 2017 the effect of the Constitutional Court ruling was that the charge sheet had to be amended. The case was provisionally postponed to January 29, 2018. The trial of one of the accused, veterinarian Manie du Plessis, was postponed to 17 July 2017 to await the outcome of his representations to the national prosecuting authority regarding a possible plea bargain.

On 22 June 2017 Interpol arrested Dawie Groenewald and his brother, Janneman, in Polokwane, Limpopo, in an attempt to extradite them to the US on 18 charges, posted in 2014, of conspiracy, Lacey Act violations, mail fraud, money laundering and structuring bank deposits to avoid reporting requirements. They were released from police custody on 23 June after posting bail of R50,000 and R10,000 respectively.

The case was postponed to August 14, 2017. The South African case was postponed to January 2018. In January 2018, it was postponed to 29 March 2018. All charges were withdrawn against Sariette Groenewald. The prosecution dropped about 60 charges against the eight other accused and amended the charge sheet, following a Constitutional Court ruling confirming the lifting of South Africa’s moratorium on domestic trade in rhino horn. The accused still face about 1,600 charges, ranging from racketeering, money laundering, illegal hunting of rhino to 4

Notifications
Notifications: Off

Options:
Signature dealing in rhino horn. On 20 April 2018, the case was provisionally postponed to 2021 for trial. Applications in terms of Section 342a of the Criminal Procedure Act, concerning delays in the finalization of criminal proceedings, were postponed to May 2018. In July 2018, Toet and Rossouw asked the court to strike the criminal case off the court roll because of the alleged unreasonable delay of their trial.

Judge Ramarumo Monama dismissed the application, saying it was based on speculation and had been brought in bad faith. He said the accused themselves were to blame for the past delays in the trial. In November 2018 the case was postponed to February 2021 pending a constitutional challenge to the legitimacy of the charges. Janneman Groenewald passed away in December 2018.

Prosecutor:
Adv Joanie Spies

Defence:
Adv P van Wyk SC; Adv Gaum; Adv Curlewis; Adv J Cilliers SC; Mr B Botes

Here is the direct link to the digital geojournalism tool #WildEye so any interested party can track seizures, arrests, court cases and convictions related to wildlife crime.

https://oxpeckers.org/maprhinos/

Here is an example how the #WildEye digital geojournalism tool can be used to follow up on related cases.

For instance, I wondered what other charges Nardus Rossouw was arrested on.

Bail: All released on bail, except Nardus Rossouw, whose bail was revoked after he was arrested on other, related charges. Rossouw was granted R30,000 bail in November 2018, after pleading guilty to charges of unlawfully receiving and being in possession of rhino horn


Name/Accused:

Adriaan du Plessis, Nardus Rossouw

Charge:

Case linked to the arrest of Martin van Rooyen, Conrad Franklyn and Adrian van Staden in Vanderbijlpark in April 2016. It is alleged they involved in the orchestration of the illegal selling of rhino horns. Rossouw is an accused in the case against Dawie Groenewald and others.

Station:
Lephalale

Court Appearances:
Accused appeared briefly in court on 15 September 2016. Rossouw pleaded guilty to unlawfully receiving and being in possession of rhino horn. He and paid an R100,000 fine in the Makopane regional court in November 2018, after claiming he did not commit the offenses out of greed but because of a misplaced desire “to help a very ill person to get funds”.

Name/Accused:
S v Martin van Rooyen (30), Conrad Franklyn (32), Adrian van Staden (27)

Charge:
Accused arrested by the Hawks with a bag containing 18 rhino horns. They were allegedly in possession of a false document purporting to give them the authority to transport the horns. The document carried the stamp of a game reserve in Limpopo province.

Professional hunter Van Staden entered into a plea deal with the State. He said he had been approached by a ‘dealer’ who told him there was a lot of money to be made from dealing in rhino horn. He was unemployed at the time he was approached by this ‘dealer’. Van Staden cut the horn he received from the ’dealer’ into disks 'because he believed that potential Chinese customers would prefer it that way'.

He later drove to Polokwane again to pick up more horns from the ‘dealer’. Van Staden then met Daniel Petrus, who said he would buy the horns from Van Staden. They arranged to meet to finalize the deal. Daniel Petrus let the police know about the pending meeting to finalize the deal and Van Staden was arrested. The case against his two co-accused was dropped.

Date of Arrest:
April 2016

Bail:
Conrad Franklyn and Adrian van Staden released on R5 000 bail each. Martin van Rooyen refused bail.

Station:
Vanderbijlpark

Court Appearances:
The three appeared briefly in court on 25 April 2016, case postponed to 3 May 3, 2016, for further evidence. Trial date set for 20 September 2016. On 20 September, the case was postponed to 31 October, at the request of the accused. Bail extended. On 31 March 2017 Van Staden was sentenced to 12 months' correctional supervision and a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 5 years, for the illegal possession of 18 rhino horns.

Defence:
Freddie Peters, Grant van Bochuve and Jaco van Wyk

Oxpeckers has a number of these tracking tools, and they are all very good.

quote:

Originally posted by Alan Bunn:
Name/Accused:
S v Martin van Rooyen (30), Conrad Franklyn (32), Adrian van Staden (27)

Charge:
Accused arrested by the Hawks with a bag containing 18 rhino horns. They were allegedly in possession of a false document purporting to give them the authority to transport the horns. The document carried the stamp of a game reserve in Limpopo province.

Professional hunter Van Staden entered into a plea deal with the State. He said he had been approached by a ‘dealer’ who told him there was a lot of money to be made from dealing in rhino horn. He was unemployed at the time he was approached by this ‘dealer’. Van Staden cut the horn he received from the ’dealer’ into disks 'because he believed that potential Chinese customers would prefer it that way'.

He later drove to Polokwane again to pick up more horns from the ‘dealer’. Van Staden then met Daniel Petrus, who said he would buy the horns from Van Staden. They arranged to meet to finalize the deal. Daniel Petrus let the police know about the pending meeting to finalize the deal and Van Staden was arrested. The case against his two co-accused was dropped.

Date of Arrest:
April 2016

Bail:
Conrad Franklyn and Adrian van Staden released on R5 000 bail each. Martin van Rooyen refused bail.

Station:
Vanderbijlpark

Court Appearances:
The three appeared briefly in court on 25 April 2016, case postponed to 3 May 3, 2016, for further evidence. Trial date set for 20 September 2016. On 20 September, the case was postponed to 31 October, at the request of the accused. Bail extended. On 31 March 2017 Van Staden was sentenced to 12 months' correctional supervision and a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 5 years, for the illegal possession of 18 rhino horns.

Defence:
Freddie Peters, Grant van Bochuve and Jaco van Wyk

Illegal possession of 18 rhino horns and a suspended sentence!

The South African legal system has sunk to a new low!

And I thought the US justice system moved slowly. Case now postponed until Feb 2021??

Unfortunately, Saeed, the South African legal system sinks low on a regular basis.

South Africa: 3,443 Days and Counting... Open-and-Shut Rhino Poaching Trial That Never Ends

How long does it take the criminal justice system to finalise a rhino poaching trial, especially when a suspect is allegedly caught red-handed? A year. Two years. Perhaps a little longer? Well, in the case of Muntugokwakhe Khoza, the answer is almost 10 years... and counting.

The man from the Ulundi district in KwaZulu-Natal was arrested at a roadblock on 26 August 2009, allegedly in possession of two blood-covered rhino horns and a .303 rifle, just a short distance from the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park where a white rhino cow was butchered for its horns a few hours earlier.

Khoza and two alleged accomplices, who have all pleaded not guilty to the crime, were due to appear for the resumption of their trial at the Durban Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 1 February 2019, but the trial was delayed once more.

That is, 3,443 days since Khoza was arrested.

During this period, more than 7,500 rhinos have been slaughtered nationwide for their horns in the country that remains custodian to the largest — but rapidly dwindling — population of rhinos in the world.

The investigating officer has since emigrated, along with the wildlife officer who arrested Khoza, while other witnesses have become too ill to testify or can no longer be traced.

The latest pause in proceedings follows a series of delays that have bedeviled the case for nearly a decade.

Delays have been attributed to a variety of factors, including difficulties in securing private legal representation repeated changes to the legal defence team, alleged illness of some of the suspects and technical challenges or difficulties in co-ordinating suitable court dates for three suspects and their lawyers.

A fourth suspect arrested at the scene — but out on bail — also disappeared at some point during the decade-long court proceedings.

And Khoza, also out on bail, was arrested at a second roadblock in the Vryheid area in March 2013 with another pair of rhino horns in his vehicle.

Almost a year later, Khoza was tried and convicted for illegal possession of this second pair of horns — but somehow managed to stay out on bail for the first arrest after serving part of his six-year jail sentence for the second horn arrest.

He returned later to the Richards Bay Magistrate’s Court for the resumption of his first trial, but in August 2018 he jumped bail.

A few weeks after disappearing he was arrested for a third time, this time for allegedly trying to kill more rhinos at a private game reserve in the Paulpietersburg area.

This time, however, Khoza and four companions came face to face with a very angry white rhino cow defending her young calf.

According to the reserve owner, the cow charged the alleged poachers who then opened fire, injuring two of the rhinos before taking refuge in a nearby river bed.

But a group of farmers were lying in wait on a nearby hill with night vision equipment that enabled them to spot the poaching gang. The local police and nearly 50 local farm-watch neighbours were quickly alerted to draw a security net around the reserve and Khoza and his companions were arrested, along with a woman allegedly hired to drive a getaway car.

Police also seized three rifles, some allegedly stolen during a farm attack in the Ermelo area.

On Friday, 1 February, Khoza — now chained hand and foot and escorted by two burly prison guards — appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court to be cross-examined by senior state advocate Yuri Gangai.

But, almost inevitably, there was another “logistical” delay relating to authorising a Legal Aid defence attorney to be paid for his services in a different magisterial district.

The trial is now set to resume later in 2019, but court officers were not able to confirm the exact date when contacted on Friday evening.