Rhino poacher Alsony Valoyi sentenced to 23 years imprisonment

The Skukuza Regional Court, in Mpumalanga, sentenced a 50-year-old man to 23 years imprisonment for poaching related offences on Friday, 18 June. Alsony Alberto Valoyi was arrested in the Kruger National Park in 2016.

POACHER SENTENCED TO 23 YEARS

Valoyi, who is a Mozambican, was arrested alongside his co-accused, Siyabonga Freedom Ndlovu, in the Stolznek Section of Kruger National Park by rangers in May 2016. The suspects were found in possession of weapons and six rhinoceros.

“Valoyi pleaded guilty to the offences and was eventually convicted of trespassing in the Skukuza National Park, Contravention of the Immigration Act, possession of a firearm with intent to commit a crime, possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of dangerous weapon and possession of 6 rhinoceros,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Mpumalanga spokesperson Monica Nyuswa.

Since Valoyi pleaded guilty, the state applied for a separation of trial for Ndlovu, which is expected to take place in the same court in September 2021.

Valoyi was sentenced to three years imprisonment for trespassing, one year for Contravention of the Immigration Act, five years for possession of a firearm with intent to commit a crime, two years for unlicensed ammunition, one year for possession of a dangerous weapon and 15 years for possession of 6 rhinos.

In total Valoyi was sentenced to 27 years in prison, however, the court ordered that the sentence in counts 1 and 2 will run concurrently – count 4 and 5 will also run concurrently, meaning that his effective prison stint will be 23 years.

“The NPA welcomes the conviction and sentence,” said Nyuswa.