Overview

• John Hume, 83, was arrested with five others after a seven-year Hawks investigation and appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court, where he was granted 100,000 rand bail.
• The case centers on allegations that suspects secured local-trade permits under false pretenses and funneled the horns abroad, with the haul valued by reports at about 250 million rand.
• Charges include fraud, theft and contraventions of biodiversity law, and officials say racketeering and money-laundering counts are under consideration.
• Investigators say the probe uncovered alleged collusion involving officials who issued the permits used in the scheme.
• Hume previously owned the Platinum Rhino ranch that held about 2,000 white rhinos before selling it to the African Parks nonprofit in 2023.