South African police are hunting the gunmen who killed one of its top rhino poaching investigators in an ambush. Lt Col Leroy Brewer’s killing was “senseless” and a “huge loss”, police chief Gen Khehla Sitole said. He had “always excelled in cracking complex cases, particularly related to rhino poaching”, Gen Sithole added. Col Brewer investigated poaching syndicates in the Kruger, as well as syndicates involved in ambushing armoured vehicles transporting cash from banks. He was driving to work when he was shot dead by gunmen with high-calibre weapons on Tuesday. He died on the spot. South Africa has seen a fall in poaching in recent years after stepping up efforts to protect the animals. A total of 594 rhinos were killed for their horns in 2019, compared with 769 in 2018 and 1,028 in 2017, official statistics show.
SOURCE: BBC
