Bronkhorst’s freedom bid hits brick wall

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
A BID for freedom by Hwange hunter, Theodore Albert Christian Bronkhorst, 52, hit a brick wall yesterday when his application for removal from remand was dismissed by a Matabeleland South Regional magistrate. Bronkhorst of Riverside in Bulawayo is accused of conniving with three South African nationals, Edwin Hewitt, 49, Hedrick Blignaut, 41, and John Herbert Pretorius, 49, to smuggle 29 sables worth $435,000 into South Africa through an illegal exit point along the Limpopo River.

Through his lawyer Advocate Perpetual Dube, the hunter applied for the case to be removed from remand arguing that there was no reasonable suspicion that he committed the crime. Magistrate Joseph Maveza ruled that there was reasonable suspicion that Bronkhorst played an active role in the commissioning of the crime.

The matter which is being tried in Beitbridge was then set for trial on November 30. Bronkhorst who has been formally charged with conspiracy to smuggle and unlawful movement of animals is out of custody on $500 bail.

Prosecutor Blessing Gundani told the court that on July 13 this year, Bronkhorst imported 50 sables from Zambia to Zimbabwe. He then bred them at Msuna Ranch, trading as Bushman Safaris, Hwange. On September 9, Bronkhorst allegedly connived with Hewitt, Pretorius and Blignaut to smuggle the animals into South Africa. The three South Africans are expected to stand trial on November 5.

Gundani said the suspects agreed to smuggle the sables into South Africa through an illegal exit point along the Limpopo River. He said Bronkhorst then obtained a movement permit from the veterinary offices in Hwange after misrepresenting that the sables were being moved to West Nicholson.

The court further heard that on the strength of the permit, the three South Africans moved the animals to Beitbridge where they then hired one Thembani Sibanda of Makhakavhule village in Beitbridge to assist them to skip the border via the Limpopo River.

They then went to an illegal crossing point near Nottingham Estate where they ran out of luck when their convoy of three vehicles got stuck in the riverbed, leading to their arrest.

The South Africans were arrested by security personnel who were patrolling the boundary line and revealed during interrogations that they had been assisted by Bronkhorst and Sibanda to smuggle the animals out of the country.

Sibanda is also out on bail.