A Thabazimbi game farmer has been sentenced to eight years in jail by the Makhado Magistrate’s Court for illegal possession of 30 rhino horns, it was reported on Wednesday.

On Monday, magistrate Pat Cloete turned down a request for leave to appeal by Jacques Els, 39, and also refused to extend his bail pending an appeal against the sentence in the High Court in Pretoria.

Els was released on bail of R300 000 after being sentenced in March.

Defence counsel Tom Dreyer told Beeld newspaper Els was taken into custody after the court proceedings on Monday.

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