This archive of published media articles about wildlife crime in Namibia aims to:
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.
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NAM_2024_02_Judges order release of alleged poachers_Namibian Sun.pdf | 229.63 KB |
Die twee mans wat tereggestaan het op aanklagte van stropery, Hermanus Kharugab en Ashley Eiseb, is ingevolge 'n uitspraak in 'n hersieningsaansoek in die hoërhof in Windhoek vrygelaat. Eiseb, wat volgens 'n lid van die Nossob Misdaadvoorkomingsforum, 'n "groot probleem is", en Kharugab is in November verlede jaar in hegtenis geneem ná hulle glo 'n motor gehuur het om wild in die Okahandja-omgewing te stroop. Regters Boas Usiku en Naomi Shivute het die skuldigbevindings en vonnisse teen beide mans tersyde gestel en beveel dat hulle uit aanhouding vrygelaat moet word.
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NAM_2024_02_Gewoontestropers vrygelaat_Republikein.pdf | 446.08 KB |
NAM_2024_02_Habitual poachers released_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 769.4 KB |
Nachdem eine Anti-Wilderer-Einheit zwei Wilddiebe gefasst hatte, stellt sich heraus, dass sich diese scheinbaren Gewohnheitsverbrecher für zahlreiche Wilderei-Fälle oder sogar wegen versuchten Mordes im Gericht verantworten müssen. Staatsankläger scheinen die schwerwiegenden Vorwürfe kaum zu beachten, sodass die Angeklagten oft ungeschoren davonkommen.
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NAM_2023_11_Wilddiebe wiederholt Angeklagt_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 388.85 KB |
NAM_2023_11_Poachers repeatedly charged_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 423.46 KB |
"Dis 'n outjie wat ons al lankal pla. Hy is al vantevore op Seeis toegesluit omdat ons hom met 'n gesteelde 5 000 liter-tenk gevang het en daar was nog gemsbokke agterop die voertuig ook," sê die bron. Volgens die persoon is hulle groep ingelig oor ses stropers wat bedrywig was tussen Vrydag en Sondag.
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NAM_2023_11_Vermeende stropers verskyn weer vrydag_Republikein.pdf | 289.39 KB |
NAM_2023_11_Suspected poachers appear again on Friday_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 328.07 KB |
'n Klag van poging tot moord is by die polisie aangemeld ná 'n man glo in die been geskiet is toe polisieen bewaringsbeamptes van die omgewingsministerie drie verdagtes agtervolg het. Die verdagtes het glo in verskeie rigtings te voet probeer wegkom en in die proses is waarskuwingskote glo afgevuur. Een van die skoté het klaarblyklik een van die verdagtes getref. Hy is na die hospitaal geneem en polisie het beslag gelê op die olifanttande wat die verdagtes glo gestroop het.
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NAM_2023_05_Vermeende stroper in been geskiet_Republikein.pdf | 359.99 KB |
NAM_2023_05_Suspected poacher shot in the leg_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 354.69 KB |
A charge of attempted murder has been reported to the police after a man was allegedly shot in the leg when police and conservation officers pursued three suspects. The suspects reportedly attempted to escape on foot in various directions, and warning shots were apparently fired in the process. One of the shots apparently hit one of the suspects. He was taken to the hospital, and the police seized the elephant tusks that the suspects allegedly poached.
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NAM_2023_05_Alleged poached shot in leg_Namibian Sun.pdf | 300.38 KB |
Die Verdächtigen sollen versucht haben, zu Fuß in verschiedene Richtungen zu fliehen, und dabei sollen Warnschüsse abgegeben worden sein. Einer der Schüsse soll einen der Verdächtigen getroffen haben. Er wurde ins Krankenhaus gebracht, und die Polizei beschlagnahmte die Elefantenstoßzähne, die die Verdächtigen angeblich gewildert hatten.
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NAM_2023_05_Mutmasslicher Wilderer mit Schuss ins Bein_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 339.93 KB |
NAM_2023_Suspected poacher shot in the leg_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 321.46 KB |
The multi-billion-dollar industry of illegally trafficking wildlife was front and center in federal court on Tuesday morning. The Homeland Security investigation led to two foreign nationals being arrested in Edmonds in November of 2021. On Tuesday, Herdade Lokua learned he would spend the next 20 months in prison, and Jospin Mujangi was sentenced to 14 months. The investigation led to the seizure of $3.5 million worth of elephant ivory, white rhinoceros horn, and pangolin scales.
Nadat hy sewe maande agter tralies deurgebring het omdat hy met onwettige renosterhorings in sy besit betrap is, is 'n skoolhoof van die Zambezistreek vry op borgtog ná ’n suksesvolle appèlaansoek by die hoërhof in Windhoek.
After spending seven months behind bars for being caught with illegal rhino horns in his possession, a Zambezi school principal is released on bail following a successful appeal to the Windhoek High Court.
Namibia has recorded a drastic reduction in poaching in the past three years because of improved response mechanisms. Most of the success is attributed to the Environment and Tourism Ministry's efforts to upscale law enforcement components of conservation. Environment and Tourism Minister Pohamba Shifeta said anti-poaching canine units (the Ministry of Environment and Tourism Dog Unit) had been deployed to good effect. "The Dog Unit is part of our anti-poaching initiatives.
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NAM_2020-07_Nam anti_poaching gets bite_Southern Times.pdf | 404.87 KB |
An 80-year-old Chinese man who has lived in Namibia for more than 17 years was granted N$180 000 bail in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court last week, after he was arrested for being in illegal possession of one rhino horn and 60 pieces of raw elephant tusks, a leopard head skin and one cheetah hide.
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NAM_2018-01_Suburban women tackle robbers_Namibian Sun.pdf | 94.94 KB |
The Namibia Chamber of Environment has made a call for the legalisation of trade in rhino horn. Calls to legalise rhino horn trade in Namibia are growing louder in an effort to save the species from annihilation, particularly after China partly lifted its already weakly implemented 25-year ban on the use of rhino horn and tiger bones in traditional medicines. In a letter to members and affiliates last week, Namibia Chamber of Environment (NCE) CEO Chris Brown warned that the demand for animal products such as rhino horn, ivory, pangolin scales, tiger and lion bones will…
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NAM_2018-11_Calls for legal horn trade_Namibian Sun.pdf | 75.18 KB |
Namibia's environment minister Pohamba Shifeta has urged for a review on the blanket ban on the trade of wildlife products, including rhino horns and ivory, in order to better curb the poaching epidemic threatening the survival of high-value species. Speaking at the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in London last week, Shifeta told delegates Namibia believes that "banning any trade in products will not necessarily achieve the outcome of stopping the demand and illegal trade. This has not been successful with alcohol, drugs and indeed, rhino horn, pangolin scales and ivory…
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NAM_2018-10_Namibia calls for review on wildlife trade ban_Namibian Sun.pdf | 90.24 KB |
Police are clamping down on poachers, with two police busts leading to the arrest of an alleged poaching gang found in possession of rhino horns and another man attempting to smuggle ten elephant tusks. Police at the Divundu police checkpoint arrested two men driving a white BMW in the early hours of Thursday morning after they were found in possession of three rhino horns. They were identified as Liebelo Erick Manja (31) and Aldrian Masule Musisanyani (41), and both were charged with possession of controlled wildlife products.
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NAM_2018-09_Three men arrested for rhino horns_Namibian Sun.pdf | 61.95 KB |
Gerson Kandjii (51), who is facing multiple charges in four separate criminal cases, was granted N$2 500 bail by the Windhoek Regional court in Katutura on Wednesday. The bail was granted in a case of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, in which he was arrested in December last year. Magistrate Johannes Shuveni postponed the case to 22 May.
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NAM_2017-04_Kandjii granted bail_remains behind bars_Namibian Sun.pdf | 91.11 KB |
The poaching case against Gerson Kandjii (51) and four co-accused charged with killing rhinos on a Gobabis farm in December has been postponed to May. The five men remain in custody. Kandjii, a former Brave Warriors physiotherapist, made another appearance before the Gobabis Magistrate's Court on Friday on poaching charges, following three months behind bars after his arrest in late December.
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NAM_2017-04_Kandjii court cases continue_Namibian Sun.pdf | 94.99 KB |
The lawyers of two Chinese nationals arrested for possession of rhino horns in January say their clients should be granted bail because the case against them is deeply flawed and would likely not lead to a conviction.
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NAM_2017-03_Lawyers dispute evidence in rhino case_Namibian Sun.pdf | 106.31 KB |
Rhino-poaching accused Gerson Kandjii and his five co-accused did not enter a plea before the Okahao Magistrate’s Court on Monday after their lawyer failed to make an appearance. Kandjii, 51, along with David Stephanus, 35, Karunga Martin, Hinu Lucky, Daniel Nghidinwa and Kakuva Tjeparu were arrested in November 2014 and charged with poaching four critically endangered black rhinos in Etosha National Park.
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NAM_2017-03_Kandjii on cross-country court spree_Namibian Sun.pdf | 92.24 KB |
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism yesterday tabled a bill for an amendment to the Nature Conservation Ordinance to increase fines related to rhino and elephant poaching from the current N$200 000 maximum penalty to a maximum penalty of N$25 million.
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NAM_2017-02_Multi-million fines for wildlife crimes_Namibian Sun.pdf | 69.83 KB |
A young rhino cow that was shot multiple times by poachers at a farm near Gobabis in December, has died of her wounds.
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NAM_2017-02_Rhino wounded by poachers dies_Namibian Sun.pdf | 68.66 KB |
A fourth suspect implicated in last month's Gobabis rhino poaching case, in which two white rhinos were killed and two critically wounded, was denied bail yesterday. David Stephanus (35) appeared before the Gobabis Magistrate's Court on charges of illegal hunting of specially protected game, possession of an unlicensed firearm, illegal possession of ammunition and illegal possession of game meat.
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NAM_2017-01_Fourth poaching suspect nabbed_Namibian Sun.pdf | 83.25 KB |
Undercover police operations last week led to the arrest of two Namibians near Outapi and two Chinese nationals in Windhoek for illegal possession of two rhino horns in each case. A joint operation lasting most of last week between Namibian intelligence units, the Namibian Police Protected Resource Unit (PRU) and City Police led to the raid on Thursday night of the Eros flat rented by the two Chinese, during which two rhino
horns wrapped in aluminium foil as well as a cache of weapons and ammunition were confiscated and the two men arrested.
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NAM_2017-01_Four more rhino horns seized_ Namibian Sun.pdf | 63.93 KB |
While the poaching spotlight is intensely focused on rhino in Namibia, official poaching statistics released by the environment ministry this week show that rhino poaching declined in 2016 while elephant poaching doubled compared to 2015. In total, 216 black and white rhinos have been killed over the past four years, while 266 elephants have been killed by poachers since 2013. According to official figures released by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism this week, poachers killed 63 black and white rhinos in 2016, compared to 91 killed during the previous year and…
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NAM_2017-01_Elephant poaching up rhino down_Namibian Sun.pdf | 105.25 KB |
The case of three men accused of brutally killing two white rhinos and wounding two others on a farm near Gobabis in December has been postponed to 31 March. Gerson Uakaerera Kandjii (51), a former Brave Warriors football team medic, and his two co-accused, Domingo Justice Moma (32) and Erwin Tjiteere (37), appeared before the Gobabis Magistrate’s Court yesterday after a prison transfer from Windhoek last week.
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NAM_2017-01_Kandji and Co remain behind bars_Namibian Sun.pdf | 151.39 KB |
Four of the five suspects in a rhino-poaching case at Gobabis in December have been arrested. Former Brave Warriors football team medic Gerson Uakaera Kandjii – previously accused of rhino poaching and murder - is again behind bars after he and three other suspects were arrested for the killing of two white rhinos in the Omaheke Region in late December.
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NAM_2017-01_Poaching suspect Kandjii behind bars again_Namibian Sun.pdf | 90.43 KB |
Although pangolins are already protected in Namibia, the Cites decision will raise awareness of this critically
endangered animal.
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NAM_2016-10_Hope for the pangolin_Namibian Sun.pdf | 112.53 KB |
Bail was denied to three accused rhino poachers who appeared before the Otavi Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of rhino poaching and illegal possession of three rhino horns. Tjihange Japyangula, Tjingee Kaukamburua and Tjambira Paulus are each charged with one count of hunting of specially protected game and one count of possession of controlled game products.
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NAM_2016-07_Rhino-horn trio remain behind bars_Namibian Sun.pdf | 95.32 KB |
Three carcasses of black rhinos were discovered in the Uukwaluudhi conservancy situated between Oshakati and Kamanjab last week on Thursday.
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NAM_2014-06_Black rhino slaughter uncovered_The Namibian.pdf | 248.39 KB |
Two apparently well-connected businessmen accused of smuggling rhino horns have been released on bail.
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NAM_2016-06_Questions about bail for rhino suspects_Namibian Sun.pdf | 105.66 KB |
Four rhino horns were found in possession of two Namibian suspects arrested during a police operation in Windhoek on Wednesday.
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NAM_2016-06_Suspects caught with 4 rhino horns_Namibian Sun.pdf | 92.29 KB |