Cape Town, 10 July 2019 – Vietnamese nationals arrested at the end of 2018, on various charges relating to the slaughter of lions, have been ordered to leave South Africa at the end of June. It was reported that 40 lions were killed for their bones and other body parts.

Nine people appeared in court in November 2018 on charges ranging from being in possession of illegal game products and without a permit, and carrying out restricted activities involving specimens of a listed, threatened or protected species.

Four foreign nationals were sentenced with fines ranging from R8000 to R50 000 – which have been paid in the meanwhile. The charges against two of the co-accused have been dropped.

According to the Hawks, the accused were intercepted at the intersection of the N12 and Dominionville, driving in a convoy headed to an unused farm in Mareetsane. During the search of two vehicles, the Hawks recovered lion bones, lion meat, a tiger skin, gas cylinders, gas burners, containers, a saw, knives and other equipment which is believed to have been used to process the lion bones.

The three South Africans charged in the same case, will appear in the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s court on 23 July.

Today, 32 South African and international conservation, welfare and advocacy organisations have written to the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Shamila Bathohi, of which Four Paws is a signatory. “We believe that the weak penalties and poor legal enforcement have made wildlife crime a lucrative and low-risk activity in South Africa for criminal syndicates,” says Miles.

“Collectively, we believe there is a need to among others raise and enforce the penalties for wildlife crime, establish specialist wildlife criminal courts staffed by highly skilled wildlife criminal prosecutors and magistrates, and provide specialized training for prosecutors, especially in magisterial areas in close proximity to key national provincial game reserves,” Miles concludes.