Poachers sentenced for stealing abalone worth millions

Two men have been sentenced for poaching abalone (perlemoen) worth more than R1.8m, the Hawks said on Monday.

Wei Hua Li, 29, and Martin Ngale, 35, were arrested by the Hawks in September, when officers seized both wet and dry abalone as well as drying equipment from a premises in Columbine Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town, said spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase.

“During sentencing, it was also revealed that both suspects had previous cases of the illegal possession of abalone, one had been released on parole at the time of his arrest, while the other had a pending case which was finalised.”

On Friday, Li was sentenced to five years in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court, two of which were suspended for five years with stringent conditions. He received an additional year’s imprisonment for another abalone case.

Ngale received a five-year jail term.

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