This is to inform you that Derek Lewitton who has been the most controversial figure in the rhino horn trade, has been arrested for undocumented rhino carcasses found at his farm. Yes, you heard it right, Derek Lewitton is currently behind bars for possessing unlawfully carcasses of at least 20 rhinos. Since the news broke out, the entire Limpopo community has been shocked and stunned as the Hawk found at least 20 rhino carcasses at his game farm located in Limpopo. This news has taken the internet by storm, leaving people curious to know where is Derek Lewitton and what are the charges against him. In the following sections, you will read everything about Derek Lewitton’s arrest that you need to about it. Stick with this page and continue reading this article.
Why Was Derek Lewitton Arrested?
Derek Lewitton is a well-known personality in rhino conservation circles and the proprietor of Black Rock Rhino Conservation in South Africa. As per the reports, he was taken into custody on December 15th, 2023. Now, he is facing allegations linked to the illegal trade of rhino horns. His arrest took a twist when Hawks found multiple rhino carcasses at his farm located in Limpopo. Shocking revelations made by the Hawks that some of these deceased animals appeared to have been stripped of their horns. The news has sent ripples through the conservation community.
As per the reports, the Hawks arrested Derek Lewitton after a 16-hour-long investigation at his Harmony game farm in Limpopo. Reports have claimed that the members of the Hawks recovered multiple rhino carcasses missing their horns during the investigation at the farm. As a result, Derek Lewitton was arrested by South African law, which rules that if a person encounters a rhino in the wild, whether deceased from natural causes or otherwise, it is recommended not to remove the horns. Shift to the next section for more details.
South African law further rules that the person should report the incident to both the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Department of Nature Conservation. Now Derek Lewitton is facing charges of violating this law after several carcasses were discovered that had no horns and no documents. The accused is a US national, hailing from Texas. Additionally, he is the author of several papers that seek to redefine the options for legal trade in rhino horn and has served as the CITES expert and legal advisor for the IWMC Wildlife Conservation Trust.