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Namibian Wildlife Crimes article archive

This archive of published media articles about wildlife crime in Namibia aims to:

  • provide easy public access to published information and statistics
  • enable easy stakeholder access to articles
  • provide a comprehensive archive of wildlife crime reporting in Namibia

Public access to information is a vital component of ensuring community engagement in prevalent issues. Wildlife crime is one of the pressing environmental issues of our time.

Wildlife crime investigations are generally covert operations requiring utmost confidentiality to succeed. Investigations and prosecutions in complex cases may take months or even years to complete. For this reason, the information that can be released to the public without compromising cases is often limited. Nonetheless, the Namibian government strives to share as much information as possible with the public.

The Namibian media has welcomed this approach and regularly publishes statistics and feature articles on wildlife crime. These are entered into the database at regular intervals, creating a comprehensive archive of wildlife crime reporting in Namibia.

Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.

Displaying results 1 - 6 of 6
Wednesday, 8 May 2024
Kruger K 2024. Ex-cop fails to overturn 'poaching' dismissal.

A former Namibian Police inspector charged with conspiracy to commit rhino poaching has failed in his challenge against a decision that he is unfit to serve on the force. Wersimus Haipa approached the Windhoek High Court and argued that his dismissal was "illegal" and "unfair". He demanded that he be reinstated and that the safety and security ministry compensate him for the salaries he would have received had he not been fired. Haipa was a member of the Namibian Police for 26 years before he was fired in September 2021 based on criminal charges against him.

Sunday, 19 November 2023
Mthethwa C 2023. Former Kruger National Park field ranger sentenced to 10 years for rhino killing.

A former field ranger, tasked with protecting wildlife, has been sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment for killing a rhino in the Nwanetsi section of the Kruger National Park in 2020. Eckson Musa Matumbu was sentenced at the Skukuza Regional Court on Friday. According to the South African National Parks (SANParks), Matumbu was arrested in February 2020 for killing a rhino with an official firearm issued to him and using non-issued ammunition. He was initially granted bail, which was later cancelled; the case was remanded to October 2023 for conviction and…

Thursday, 22 September 2022
Kruger K 2022. Dausab se oor verlore dossier.

Die minister van justisie, me. Yvonne Dausab, het agterdog oor die verdwyning van 'n dossier in 'n saak waarin 'n Chinese burger van wildmisdaad beskuldig word, in die kiem gesmoor. Xuecheng is na bewering in 2014 vasgetrek met 'n jagluiperd- en luiperdvel in sy besit en is aangekla van die onwettige handel in vier olifanttande. Hy is maande later weer in hegtenis geneem nadat 'n ietermagovel, 'n luiperdkop en sewe sebravelle glo in sy besit by die China Town-inkoopkompleks in Windhoek gevind is.

Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Kruger K 2022. Wildsmokkelaars staan vonnis teen.

Twee wildmisdadigers appelleer teen hul skuldigbevinding en vonnisoplegging van twee jaar.

Two game criminals are appealing against their two-year conviction and sentence.

Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Igidi T 2022. Nigeria: Concerns as wildlife trafficking continues in Nigeria.

Amidst the growing devastating impact of climate change on the Nigerian environment, conservation efforts are being threatened by trafficking of wildlife.

Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Rademeyer J, Shaw J 2021. Saving rhinos is a litmus test for tackling organised crime and corruption in South Africa.

Eleven years ago today, Dawie Groenewald, a little-known ex-policeman turned hunting safari operator, was arrested on charges of masterminding a lucrative rhino horn trafficking network involving professional hunters, vets and a pilot. A police spokesperson described the case at the time as "a huge stride in our undying efforts to thwart rhino poaching". The charges brought against Groenewald involved illegal hunting and the alleged killing of more than 50 of his own rhinos, dealing in rhino horns, money laundering, racketeering and fraud.

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