Sydney Sibuyi was sentenced to 30 years of direct imprisonment for rhino poaching-related offences on Thursday, October 5.

Sibuyi (40) was found guilty by the Skukuza regional court of trespassing in the Kruger National Park, three charges of rhino killing, and conspiracy to do crime.

According to testimony given in court, rangers learned that three alleged poachers had entered the Park on July 12, 2020.

The rangers discovered Sibuyi while conducting their research and following leads.

He had five fresh rhino horns.

According to the Mpumalanga regional Spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), rangers continued their search and found three rhino carcasses in the area.

Sibuyi was found with blood stains on his T-shirt.

He was immediately arrested, and his blood-stained T-shirt was sent for DNA analysis.

The DNA analysis results matched the carcass that was found at the crime scene.

Sibuyi entered a guilty plea after understanding there was no getting out of it given the results of the DNA test.

The State has established its case beyond a reasonable doubt, according to State Prosecutor Lot Mgiba, who addressed the court.

He presented the positive DNA results, as aggravating circumstances, to the court.

It is along this line therefore that Sibuyi was subsequently sentenced to a whopping 30 years of direct imprisonment.

The court further declared him unfit to possess a firearm.