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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.

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Displaying results 1 - 50 of 58
Thursday, 17 October 2024
Menges W 2024. High Court orders decision on Kunene mining claims environmental certificates amid black rhino concerns.

The environmental commissioner has been ordered to decide by next Thursday whether environmental clearance certificates issued to a holder of mining claims in the Kunene region should be suspended or cancelled. Judge Esi Schimming-Chase issued the order in the Windhoek High Court yesterday. She also ordered that no mining activities may take place on eight mining claims held by Windhoek resident Ottilie Ndimulunde until the environmental commissioner has made his decision.

Friday, 27 September 2024
Menges W 2024. Kunene conservancies, tourism company fail with urgent case over mining in rhino area.

A case in which two Kunene conservancies, a traditional authority and a tourism company tried to get a court order to stop mining activities and the construction of a road in their area is not urgent, a judge ruled in the Windhoek High Court on Friday. Judge Orben Sibeya ruled that an application filed by the Doro !Nawas and Ûibasen Twyfelfontein conservancies, the ≠Aodaman Traditional Authority and the company, Ultimate Safaris, two weeks ago does not meet the requirements to be heard as an urgent matter.

Monday, 16 September 2024
Menges W 2024. Conservancies claim rhinos threatened by mining.

Mining operations will pose a direct threat to critically endangered black rhinos in an area south-west of Khorixas. This is detailed in an urgent application filed at the Windhoek High Court by two communal conservancies, a traditional authority and a tourism operator. Black rhinos in the area will be under increased threat of poaching or migrate out of the area if plans to start mining operations go ahead, the Doro !Nawas and Ûibasen Twyfelfontein conservancies, the ≠Aodaman Traditional Authority and the company Ultimate Safaris claimed in an urgent application filed on Friday…

Wednesday, 21 September 2022
Menges W 2022. PG revives wildlife crimes case.

A businessman whose case involving alleged wildlife crimes was struck off the court roll last week has been summoned to return to the Windhoek Regional Court on the same charges in November.

Friday, 16 September 2022
Menges W 2022. Accused man off hook on wildlife charges.

A Chinese businessman who has been facing charges of dealing in controlled wildlife products over the past eight years left the Windhoek Magistrate's Court as a free man yesterday, after his case was struck from the court roll. The state alleged that the five men illegally dealt in four elephant tusks in Windhoek on 11 June 2014.

Wednesday, 7 September 2022
Menges W 2022. Owners to lose cars over wildlife crimes.

The owners of two cars that were used to transport pangolin skins are set to lose their vehicles to the state, following an order given in the Windhoek High Court yesterday. In terms of an order given by judge Shafimana Ueitele, a Nissan NP200 bakkie and Nissan Tiida sedan seized by the police in the Grootfontein district four years ago have now been declared forfeited to the state.

Wednesday, 14 July 2021
Muvundisi J 2021. Ivory suspect shifts blame to co-accused.

A Bulawayo man, who was arrested together with two other men for illegally dealing in ivory, has shifted the blame to his co-accused, claiming the tusks belonged to the duo.

Tuesday, 25 May 2021
Tshuma N 2021. Abalone poacher fined R50 000 for R2.4 million haul.

Cape Town - The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries has joined the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in welcoming the sentencing of a 49-year-old man for the illegal possession and transportation of abalone valued at R2.4 million. Moegamat Amien Fakier was sentenced to a fine of R50 000 or two years' imprisonment when he appeared in the Khayelitsha Priority Court on Thursday last week.

Thursday, 20 May 2021
Tshuma N 2021. Collectors drive a spike in theft of indigenous plants in the Western Cape.

Cape Town - CapeNature says it has noted a worrying spike in the theft of indigenous plants in the province. It said it has begun to notice that crimes relating to the theft of endangered indigenous plants in the province had begun to steadily increase, even under strict Covid-19 restrictions. CapeNature spokesperson Petro van Rhyn said while there were several reasons why the illegal trade had picked up recently, the most notable reasons pointed to the huge demand by plant collectors to own the naturally occurring plants, native to South Africa and…

Monday, 3 May 2021
Menges W 2021. State gets luxury car in rhino case.

A Windhoek resident who admitted he possessed rhino horns in the city nearly five years ago suffered an expensive loss at the end of his trial in the Windhoek Regional Court on Friday, with a luxury vehicle which the police had seized from him declared forfeited to the state.

Saturday, 3 April 2021
Muvundisi J 2021. Worry over increased poaching of painted dogs.

Painted dogs, also known as wild dogs, face extinction as a result of increased illegal hunting by poachers, a conservation centre has revealed. The Painted Dogs Conservation Centre in Dete, which is located at the foot of the Hwange National Park, said snares set up by poachers, mostly villagers, have become a huge threat to the population of painted dogs.

Wednesday, 18 November 2020
Menges W 2020. Poacher's 30-year jail term cut on appeal.

The 30-year prison term of a cattle poacher, who successfully challenged the constitutionality of the severe sentences which were prescribed for stock thieves in Namibia, has been reduced to 12 years by the Supreme Court.

Monday, 9 November 2020
Menges W 2020. Preacher denies bribery charge.

An evangelical preacher who has been in jail since May after being arrested over the possession of rhino horns and the poaching of a rhino in the Gobabis district on Friday denied guilt on a charge of bribery in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court.

Wednesday, 5 August 2020
Menges W 2020. Bail appeal fails in rhino horns case.

An Angolan teacher facing charges over the theft of 33 rhino horns during a burglary at Outjo last year was correctly refused bail by a magistrate in May, a High Court judge has ruled.

Monday, 27 July 2020
Menges W 2020. From The Courts ... Ex-magistrate lied at bail hearing.

A self-styled 'prophet' who has been in police custody for the past two months after being arrested on charges of rhino poaching and dealing in or possessing two rhino horns, is planning to apply for bail this week. Jackson Babi, who uses the title 'prophet' and is the founder of the House of Joy Ministries evangelical religious group in Windhoek, will launch a bail application in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court on Thursday, defence lawyer Kadhila Amoomo informed magistrate Linus Samunzala during a court appearance by Babi and a co-accused, Frizans Naululu Dumeni, on Friday…

Monday, 8 June 2020
Menges W 2020. Preacher questions rhino poaching arrest.

Religious preacher Jackson Babi, who is facing criminal charges after rhino horns were allegedly discovered in his house in Windhoek, is claiming the police's search of his home and also his second arrest last week were unlawful.

Tuesday, 2 June 2020
Menges W 2020. Preacher gets date for bail hearing.

A Windhoek-based preacher who was last week arrested after two rhino horns were allegedly found at his house is due to apply for bail in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court tomorrow.

Wednesday, 20 May 2020
Kaelo D, Sopia D, Bell D, Diggle R, Nelson F 2020. From crisis to solutions for communities and African conservation (commentary).

The coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic has created a profound crisis for conservation efforts in eastern and southern Africa as a result of the sudden cessation of all international travel in a region where nature-based tourism and conservation are closely interdependent.  The region’s unique wildlife populations and other natural assets — centered on spectacular landscapes such as the Serengeti and Okavango — underpin a multi-billion dollar 'wildlife…

Tuesday, 8 October 2019
Menges W 2019. No bail for alleged rhino poaching ring kingpin.

A business man based in northern Namibia who is charged over the poaching of two rhinos near Etosha National Park is facing an extended stay in jail, after his appeal against being denied bail failed in the Windhoek High Court last week.

Friday, 3 May 2019
Menges W 2019. Pensioner fined over illegal wildlife products.

An elderly Chinese man who admitted that he had illegal wildlife products, including a rhinoceros horn, and a firearm in his possession at the start of last year was sentenced to pay fines totalling N$156 000 by the Windhoek Regional Court this week.

Monday, 11 February 2019
Menges W 2019. Etosha poacher gets fines or eight years in jail.

A resident of the Kunene region whose attempt to poach a rhinoceros in Etosha National Park ended in the death of his partner in crime and his own arrest, was sentenced to an effective fine of N$34 000 or eight years' imprisonment on Friday.

Monday, 5 March 2018
Menges W 2018. Rhino horn charge could return after withdrawal.

A Chinese resident of Namibia who was charged with the illegal possession of two rhino horns early last year is off the hook - for now at least - after the charge against him was withdrawn in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court last week.

Thursday, 1 February 2018
Menges W 2018. Abalone charges withdrawn after Chinese man flees.

The charges against a Windhoek man who allegedly helped a Chinese national export abalone from Namibia two years ago were withdrawn in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court yesterday. With Chinese citizen Zhi Geng (38) absent from the court after he jumped bail last year, public prosecutor Tatelo Lusepani informed magistrate Gerrit van Pletzen yesterday that the state was provisionally withdrawing the charges against Geng's co-accused, Windhoek resident James Barron Wallace (49).

Thursday, 6 July 2017
Menges W State takes bail money of fugitive Chinese.

The N$300 000 that was paid to get a Chinese national bailed out of jail following his arrest on a charge of possession of rhino horns early this year was declared finally forfeited to the state yesterday.

Monday, 26 June 2017
Menges W 2017. Arrest warrant issued in rhino horn case.

A Chinese man who was arrested and charged after the police found two rhinoceros horns at a rented flat in Windhoek early this year is now a fugitive from justice, having failed to attend a scheduled court appearance last week. With the 29-year-old Chen Nan absent from the Windhoek Magistrate's Court, where he was supposed to appear for the first time since being granted bail in April, magistrate Vanessa Stanley on Wednesday issued a warrant for his arrest, provisionally cancelled his bail and provisionally declared his bail deposit of N$300 000 forfeited to…

Wednesday, 25 January 2017
Menges W 2017. Rhino poached at game farm.

A rhinoceros cow was found poached at a game farm south of Otjiwarongo on Monday. The white rhino cow, named Maria, was found dead with a gunshot wound to her neck, game farm owner WP Barnard told The Namibian yesterday.

Wednesday, 25 January 2017
Menges W 2017. Ministry doubts poaching of rhino.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has doubts whether a rhinoceros cow that was found dead at a game farm in the Otjiwarongo area on Monday was poached as initially thought.

Tuesday, 17 January 2017
Menges W 2017. Doubts raised over 'poaching' of rhino.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the police have expressed doubts that a rhinoceros cow found dead at a game farm in the Otjiwarongo area on Monday was poached as initially thought.

Wednesday, 4 January 2017
Menges W 2015. Three charged over killing of rhinos.

Former Brave Warriors football team medic Gerson Kandjii and two other men arrested over the killing of two rhinoceroses at a farm in the Gobabis district shortly before Christmas are due to make a first appearance in the Gobabis Magistrate's Court early next week.

Thursday, 1 December 2016
Menges W 2016. Airport cop charged over rhino horns.

The arrest of a Chinese citizen who allegedly managed to smuggle 18 rhinoceros horns out of Namibia last week landed a member of the Namibian Police in the dock in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court in Katutura yesterday.

Monday, 3 October 2016
Menges W 2016. Rhino horn smugglers want to appeal.

Four Chinese citizens sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment each in connection with an attempt to smuggle rhinoceros horns and a leopard skin out of Namibia in March 2014, will appeal against their conviction and sentences.

Friday, 30 September 2016
Menges W 2016. Rhino horn smugglers get 14 years in prison.

Four Chinese citizens convicted of having tried to smuggle 14 rhinoceros horns and a leopard skin out of Namibia in March 2014 were sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment each at the end of their trial today.

Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Menges W 2016. Poaching could wipe out rhino population.

Namibia could lose its entire rhinoceros population in the next 10 years if the rate at which poachers have been killing these endangered animals in recent years continues unchecked. Poachers have killed 201 rhinos in Namibia since 2011, and their crimes have not only had an environmental impact, but also an economic one.

Monday, 19 September 2016
Menges W 2016. Chinese men guilty over rhino horns in luggage.

The discovery of a hoard of rhino horns and a leopard skin in two suitcases at Hosea Kutako International Airport in March 2014 led to the conviction of four Chinese citizens on two criminal charges in the Windhoek Regional Court on Friday.

Friday, 16 September 2016
Menges W 2016. Chinese foursome convicted over rhino horns.

Four Chinese citizens who were accused of having tried to smuggle a hoard of rhino horns and one leopard skin out of Namibia in March 2014 were found guilty on two charges in the Windhoek Regional Court today.

Thursday, 1 September 2016
Menges W 2016. Chinese man fined over rhino horn in parcel.

A Chinese citizen who tried to send a piece of rhino horn out of Namibia in a parcel was sentenced to pay fines totalling N$40 000 or serve a two-year prison term yesterday.

Friday, 12 August 2016
Menges W 2016. Rhino horns foursome kept waiting for verdict.

The delivery of the verdict in the trial of four Chinese citizens charged with having tried to smuggle a hoard of rhino horns out of Namibia in March 2014, has again been postponed by a month.

Monday, 27 June 2016
Menges W 2016. Two granted bail in rhino horn case.

Two businessmen who spent a week in police custody after they were arrested in connection with an alleged attempt to sell four rhino horns, have been released on bail of N$50 000 each. Windhoek resident Tangi Sheefeni Amon Namwandi (32), who is also known as 'Mox', and Jairus Shaalukeni (32), who lives at Ongwediva, were granted bail when they made a second appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court in Katutura on a charge of possessing or dealing in rhino horns on Thursday last week.

Monday, 23 May 2016
Menges W 2016. Verdict awaited in rhino horn smuggling trial.

Four Chinese citizens accused of having attempted to smuggle two suitcases filled with rhino horns and a leopard skin out of Namibia in March 2014, are due to hear the verdict in their trial next month.

Wednesday, 24 February 2016
Menges W 2016. Poca assets order against two abalone accused.

The prosecutor general has bank accounts and six cars belonging to a Chinese citizen and a Namibian man facing charges of possessing and trying to export the shellfish abalone from Namibia in her sights.

Thursday, 4 February 2016
Menges W 2016. Two charged over rhino horn and abalone.

The discovery of close to 100 kilogrammes of dried abalone and more than a kilogramme of rhino horn pieces in Windhoek this week landed a Chinese citizen and a Namibian man in the dock in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Tuesday, 15 December 2015
Menges W 2015. Rhino horn trial moves on to defence case.

The trial of four Chinese citizens accused of having tried to smuggle two suitcases containing rhino horns out of Namibia in March last year is scheduled to continue in the Windhoek Regional Court next month.

Monday, 23 November 2015
Menges W 2015. Rhino slaughter continues.

The killing of rhinoceroses in the supposed safety of Etosha National Park is continuing, despite intensified efforts to clamp down on poaching in Namibia. The carcasses of another two black rhinos that had been killed for their horns were found in the south-western part of Etosha National Park early last week, a police spokesperson, chief inspector Kauna Shikwambi, confirmed on Friday. Shikwambi said both carcasses were found in the area between the Otjovasando air strip and Renostervlei in the far western part of Etosha. The horns of both animals had been removed.

Monday, 3 August 2015
Menges W 2015. Rhino contraband trial continues next month.

The four Chinese men accused of having tried to smuggle a hoard of rhino horns out of Namibia in March last year is due to continue in the Windhoek Regional Court in September.

Thursday, 30 July 2015
Menges W 2015. Chinese man admits smuggling rhino horns.

One of the Chinese men accused of trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns out of Namibia in March last year admitted yesterday that he knew he was carrying controlled wildlife products in two suitcases which he was planning to take to China.

Friday, 22 May 2015
Menges W 2015. Fourth Chinese charged over rhino horns.

The three Chinese men accused of trying to smuggle 14 rhinoceros horns out of Namibia in March last year could be joined in the dock by a compatriot, after another suspect was arrested in connection with their case this week. The fourth suspect to be arrested about the alleged attempt to smuggle rhino horns and a leopard skin out of Namibia on 24 March last year is a 40-year-old Chinese resident of Otjiwarongo, Wang Hui, who was apprehended in Windhoek on Monday evening.

Tuesday, 9 December 2014
Menges W 2014. Rhino horn case sent to Regional Court.

The three Chinese men accused of trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns out of Namibia in March this year will have to stand trial on three main charges in the Windhoek Regional Court, the prosecutor general has decided.

Friday, 31 October 2014
Menges W 2014. Reward for info on Etosha rhino poaching.

A reward of N$30 000 is being offered for information that would lead to the arrest and prosecution of the people responsible for the poaching of a rhinoceros in Namibia's premier wildlife sanctuary, the Etosha National Park, about a week ago.

Wednesday, 15 October 2014
Menges W 2014. Chinese trio denies rhino horn charges.

The three Chinese men accused of trying to smuggle two suitcases with rhino horns out of Namibia in March pleaded not guilty to all charges against them during their latest court appearance yesterday.

Friday, 8 August 2014
Menges W 2014. Rhino horn smuggling case postponed.

The case in which three Chinese men are charged with trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns out of Namibia near the end of March has again been postponed for further investigations to be carried out.

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