Mashriqq

The new authorities in South Africa announce Wednesday that a whooping $7million in assets were recovered from just 3 rhino poachers. These assets (not cash) were seized from game farmer owner Dawie Groenewald and two veterinary surgeons.

The authorities claim that these folks were part of the crime ring. I have to wonder what will happen after the assets are seized, how is the authorities going to use these assets. We all know corruption is all around, I like to hope the assets are put to good cause or liquidated and given to the people who need it the most.

According to the statement, the three had previously been charged with 1872 counts of racketeering, “mak[ing] it one of the biggest wildlife cases in South Africa.”

AFP reports that Groenewald is accused of being the mastermind of the poaching ring, and that the men allegedly legally bought rhinos before illegally slaughtering them to sell their horns.

Rhino horns are used in traditional Asian medicine.

Police spokesman Col. Vishnu Naido said that the seizure of assets will ensure that the men do not return to “a life of luxury” if they are convicted and serve time.

For the full report you can visit BBC Africa at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18004043

I like to think that the assets will be going to be used for the right cause. But it is apparent that many times authorities or corrupt political parties use these “wonderful” crime stories to accumulate wealth. I am not saying this is being done, I am further going to investigate the story and see if any missing pieces pop up.

More to come on this story, but for now it’s good to hear 3 less rhino poachers and $7m less in the bad guys pockets. But which pockets are going to get fatter from this “alleged rhino poacher story”… Do note the word “alleged”.

I am not saying these folks are not criminals. By all means no one should be poaching animals for profit. And more then likely the clinic and vet’s caught by authorities were guilty. But I need to find out what is happening to the assets. What will be done with these assets. This happens a lot, from my experience being a reporter I have to report the news… but it’s also critical to think about what next?

Feel free to comment and share your thoughts if you agree with my thinking or has justice been done?

A horrific bombing occurred at the Syrian capital infront of the intel center in Damascus. The video below tells it all. 55 poor souls died and 372 others injured in this massacre on Thursday morning.

“At least some of our partners are doing some practical things aimed at exploding the situation [in Syria] both in a direct and indirect sense of the word. I mean the explosions you have mentioned,” Lavrov commented on the blasts during a press conference in Beijing.

It seems armed opposition groups, which failed to take control over any part of the country and turn it into their base of operation, are now resorting to guerilla tactics to attack the government. A ceasefire and political solution to the conflict are not in their interest, because they want nothing short of a total collapse of the Assad regime.

The Syrian government is seeking resolution of the violent crisis, which has been ravaging the country for 15 months, through political reform. This week it held a parliamentary election, the first ballot in decades involving competing political parties.

You can read at: http://rt.com/news/syria-blasts-dead-opposition-886/

It’s painful to hear about this terrorist bombing. I will be on the look out for more reports the ever painful bombing that is happening in Syria.