# South African National Parks has welcomed the guilty verdict against former Kruger National Park regional ranger Rodney Landela and former state veterinary technician Kenneth Mochocho for illegally hunting and killing a white rhino in a protected area. The case has been before the courts for about ten years. Four other charges, including theft of the rhino horns, conspiracy and escaping from lawful custody, were withdrawn. SANParks says the verdict marks a significant victory in the fight against wildlife crime and the protection of South Africa’s natural heritage.
SANParks welcomes guilty verdict in a decade-long rhino poaching case