South African National Parks (SANParks) has expressed satisfaction with the recent sentencing of Simon Ernesto Valoi, also known as “Navara,” a notorious leader of a rhino-poaching syndicate. Valoi was sentenced to 27 years in prison by a Mozambican court, while his accomplice, Paulo Zukula, received a 24-year sentence.

Valoi, hailing from Massingir, a district near the Kruger National Park (KNP), was identified as one of the major figures in rhino poaching, known for orchestrating illegal hunts in the park. The court found Valoi and Zukula guilty of numerous crimes, including financing terrorism, poaching, trading in protected species, money laundering, the use of banned weapons, forging documents, and involvement in illegal firearms and vehicle transactions, as well as criminal conspiracy.

Valoi’s long-standing influence and wealth, which he used to recruit young men from his community to poach rhinos across the border, had protected him from legal repercussions until his arrest in July 2022. The arrest was the result of a coordinated intelligence operation by the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) in Maputo, in collaboration with the Wildlife Justice Commission. Rhino horns were seized during the arrest.

The crackdown also extended to several of Valoi’s relatives, who were detained for their involvement in the crime network.

SANParks has welcomed the verdict as a significant step forward in the fight against wildlife crime, particularly rhino poaching, which has severely impacted the Kruger National Park and other conservation areas.