The Nelspruit Regional Court rejected an appeal on Wednesday by a man jailed for eight years for trespassing in the Kruger National Park.

Abel Mfana Mashabane, 26, from Phalaborwa, appealed against his sentence in court, a Sapa correspondent reported.

Mashabane was shot and injured, and another man killed, when rangers confronted them at Houtboschrand in the Kruger Park on May 17 last year. A third man escaped.

A fresh white rhino horn was found in Mashabane's bag. He was not found guilty of possession after he successfully argued that he did not know how it got into his bag and that it may have been planted there during his arrest.

Magistrate Sheila Msibi said another court would have made the same judgment that she had, based on the evidence and testimonies presented in court.

"Therefore the application for leave to appeal against the conviction is dismissed," Msibi said.

Mashabane was sentenced to eight years for carrying out a restricted activity and three for trespassing. The sentences would run concurrently.

Eight years of very restricted activity for "a restricted activity" sounds about right to me.

Johan