IMPORTANT NOTE: Whilst 2oceansvibe does not condone rape in any way, shape or form, we hope the reader understands our passion when it comes to nature conservation and, in particular, the plight of the rhino – a cause very close to our hearts.

Eish.

If you’ve ever hung out with a member of an anti-poaching team, you’ll understand the amount of disdain the rangers have for rhino poachers. The hate and disrespect runs deep and any conversation on the topic is spat out with a dripping salivation of belittlement.

The latest news coming from the lowveld war is of a rhino poacher who was caught by a team in the Kruger National Park that is claiming he was raped by the rangers after detaining him and assaulting him with a rifle. He was pretty much raped with a rifle.

The suspected poacher, Santos Ngoveni, 31, was arrested in Skukuza on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. However, he was forced to admit possessing of a gun by the rangers – but he didn’t even have one because his friends had run away with them. But the rangers insisted.

His attorney is requesting that Santos be able to enter a plea to charge the rangers with rape – they already stand accused of grievous bodily harm after he needed to receive medical treatment.

Now, back to the rangers and their unabashed contemptuousness: with great power, comes great responsibility. I get that what’s happening is horrid and so not cool in any way possible. But rape? I guess that’s how far the rangers need to go now to get their message across.

[source: ibtimes]