Rhino poacher in court

By Jana-Mari Smith

UPDATE:

Tjihetura Tjihura (41) will remain in custody until his next court appearance on May 21 2013, Opuwo prosecutor Obert Masendeke confirmed today.

After a brief appearance at the Opuwo Magistrate’s court today, the suspect in a rhino poaching incident, was led back to his cell. The police informed the prosecutor that they need time for further investigations into the matter. 

Tjihura is facing a charge of hunting specially protected game. 

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Tjihetura Tjihura (41), the suspected rhino poacher responsible for the killing of a female black rhino in December 2012, is set to appear in the Opuwo Magistrate’s court today. 

Tjihura was arrested on December 26 2012 when a Himba community in a remote village in Damaraland, pointed the police in his direction after they suspected that he was the perpetrator in the case.

The female rhino’s calf died about four days after the mother’s killing, due to starvation and dehydration.

Shortly after his arrest, Tjihura led police and Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) officers to the hidden cache of rhino horns. 

One of the SRT officers present in the scene, said that without Tjihura pointing to the secret stash, it is highly unlikely that anyone would have ever found the horns.

Tjihura had dug a hole in a remote area, secreted the horns, and covered it up. The landscape in Damaraland consists mostly of scattered basalt and torra rocks. A hole in the ground here can conceal hidden objects in a spectacular way. 

Opuwo Prosecutor Obert Masendeke said this morning that the case will most likely be postponed for further police investigation.