Suspected Rhino Poacher Says Kruger Game Rangers Raped Him With A Rifle


A man who is suspected of being a rhino poacher has accused game rangers in Kruger National Park of sexually assaulting him with the barrel of a rifle.

Santos Ngoveni, 31, was arrested in Skukuza on August 31 on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and was suspected of being a rhino poacher. However Ngoveni disputes the charges, saying he was forced to confess under duress, while being raped with the barrel of a rifle by Kruger National Park game rangers.

The suspected rhino poacher appeared before the Skukuza Magistrate’s Court on August 31, but the matter was postponed to September 9 for a bail application.

Iafrica reports that according to Mike Nonyane, the suspected rhino poacher’s lawyer, his client is innocent of the charges.

“During his arrest, KNP rangers forced Ngoveni to admit possession of a gun. Ngoveni told the rangers that he doesn’t have a gun, his friends ran away with the firearms but the rangers insisted that he admit to possessing a firearm.”

According to Times Live, Nonyane is now asking the Skukuza Magistrate’s Court to allow him to enter a plea on September 9 to charge the game rangers with rape, rather than his client being tried for illegal possession of a firearm. He says the game rangers already stand accused of grievous bodily harm to his client.

“The rangers brutally assaulted Ngoveni and penetrated his anus with a rifle. This case was supposed to be a rape case. In terms of Sexual Offences Act, the conduct of the rangers constitutes rape. Therefore I will write a letter to the magistrate to change the charges to a rape case.”

In the meantime the alleged rhino poacher is being detained at the Skukuza police station and has reportedly received medical attention.

Ngoveni says he is grateful to be alive.

“I just thank God for my life, I am recovering and the injuries are healing.”

When officials at the Kruger National Park were approached on the matter, they said their management was unaware of the incident but that they will await the court’s decision.

In other news on the Inquisitr relating to the now almost extinct rhinos, one animal received a new face recently after a rhino poacher ripped off its horn. A new face was created for the rhino using elephant skin.

[Photo: Rhino in Kruger National Park by Cameron Spencer / Getty Images News]

Share this article: Suspected Rhino Poacher Says Kruger Game Rangers Raped Him With A Rifle
More from Inquisitr