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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 51 - 100 of 126
Wednesday, 16 February 2022
Masika C 2022. Man in court for trying to sell Sh300,000 tusks to cops.

The charge sheet says the tusks weighed three kilograms, worth Sh300,000.

Friday, 4 February 2022
2022. Zimbabwe records progress against wildlife crimes.

There has been a great improvement in the handling of wildlife crimes in the country's courts of law following an accelerated mentorship drive for prosecutors and magistrates on the subject, a wildlife rights proponent has said.

Wednesday, 2 February 2022
Madzianike N 2022. Nurse aide fined for possession of leopard skin.

A nurse aide at Siyakobvu Hospital in Kariba was today fined $20 000 for possessing a leopard skin worth $2 308 400, which he was selling in Harare's Central Business District.

Tuesday, 1 February 2022
Munyoro F 2022. Two acquitted after being nabbed with rhino horns pieces.

A South African immigrant and a local man found in possession of four pieces of rhino horns worth US$240 000 without a licence have been acquitted after the High Court found that the prosecution failed to prove its case against them.

Tuesday, 1 February 2022
Madzianike N 2022. Nurse aide nabbed with leopard skin.

A nurse aide at Siyakobvu Hospital in Kariba appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court on allegations of possessing a leopard skin worth $2 308 400, which he was selling in Harare's Central Business District.

Friday, 28 January 2022
Wangui P 2022. Two suspected poachers arrested, 14 pieces of ivory recovered.

Two suspected poachers were on Thursday arrested in Korinda junction in Busia county. Police acted on a tip-off from members of the public and nabbed the two men, 60-year-old Mohamed Abbas and a 70-year-old Paul Wafula Njoka. The suspects were using a motorbike with registration number KMEV721N in their operation. The police recovered the haul after conducting a search. They took them as exhibits together with the motorbike. The two suspects were taken to Busia Police station as they wait to be arraigned to answer to charges.

Tuesday, 25 January 2022
2022. Poachers in gun battle with police at farm.

Three youths had a running battle with three policemen who attempted to arrest them for poaching, Bulawayo Regional Court was told yesterday.

Tuesday, 18 January 2022
2022. 4 more arrested in crackdown on poaching.

Police in Chiredzi have arrested four suspected poachers and recovered five impala carcasses worth over
US$5 000 as they intensify their crackdown on poachers countrywide.

Tuesday, 11 January 2022
Mashonaland VM 2022. Treetop Security offcial arrested for poaching.

Police in Mashonaland East Province have arrested three suspects for poaching in Eldorado farm in Macheke.

Tuesday, 14 December 2021
2021. 24 rhinos killed in South Africa since beginning of December.

The department of forestry, fisheries and the environment has confirmed that 24 rhinos carcasses have been found in South Africa since the beginning of December.

Tuesday, 14 December 2021
2021. Zimbabwe - ivory and precious minerals seized.

Police this year arrested about 1 306 people for illegally dealing in precious minerals and elephant tusks, recovering millions of dollars' worth of contraband, a senior officer said on Saturday.

Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Kouassi JK 2021. Ivory Coast - ivory trafficker caught in Treichville.

In Côte d'Ivoire, an alleged trafficker operating in the illegal ivory trade was arrested on Friday, November 19, 2021 in the town of Treichville. The alleged trafficker, in possession of two ivory tusks was arrested when he was about to sell the goods in the cables of a jewelry store belonging to him.

Friday, 12 November 2021
2021. Duo in court over ivory.

Two men appeared in court today on allegations of illegally possessing elephant tusks worth US$2 497 they intended to trade in Harare's city centre. Nkululeko Chuma (40) and Tawenga Dandambira (40) appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Tafadzwa Miti charged with unlawful possession of unmarked raw ivory.

Saturday, 6 November 2021
2021. Kenya is Africa's gate for illegal wildlife trade - Sentry.

Kenya remains a leading spot for laundering proceeds of illegal wildlife trafficking, logging, and fishing in Africa, a report on illicit financial flow by Sentry shows. Dubbed 'Kenya Illicit Finance Risk and Assessment', the report says the country acts as a transshipment site for East Africa. According to the report, Tanzania, Mozambique, Uganda, DRC, Zambia and South Sudan traffic their wildlife products via Kenya heading to Asian countries including China and Hong Kong via Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore.

Thursday, 21 October 2021
Kahla C 2021. Three rhino poachers sentenced to 85 years imprisonment.

Three poachers were sentenced to a cumulative 85 years imprisonment on charges relating to a rhino poaching incident at the Pilanesberg Game Reservice in the North West. On 2 July 2018, the trio were trying to leave the game reserve in the North West in a white Ford bakkie loaded with stolen rhino horns valued at R1.5 million. Their bail application was denied and they remained in police custody until the completion of the trial.

Wednesday, 13 October 2021
2021. Liberia - 2 arrested for killing elephants.

Monrovia, Liberia - Two men have been arrested for killing two protected elephants in northern Liberia, the head of a national park said on Monday.

Monday, 11 October 2021
2021. Two nabbed for illegally possessing ivory.

Two men have been arrested in Bulawayo after they were found in possession of 18,25kg of ivory worth thousands of dollars.

Saturday, 9 October 2021
Waithaka E 2021. Four suspected poachers arrested with 76kg ivory.

Kenya Wildlife Service wardens in Laikipia on Wednesday evening arrested four suspected poachers and recovered four pieces of elephant ivories weighing 76 kilogrammes.

Thursday, 7 October 2021
2021. Nigeria - pangolin poaching.

The Nation in August reported the arrest of three Guineans and a Nigerian, and the recovery of N22 billion worth of pangolin scales, claws and elephant tusks from the suspects. Addressing reporters at the Customs Training School, Ikeja, where the seized items were displayed, National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Deputy Controller Joseph Attah, said experts from the Federal Ministry of Environment, Department of Forestry, would conduct a DNA test on the pangolin scales to know the country where the animals were killed.

Monday, 4 October 2021
Adenubi T 2021. Nigeria - huge haul of pangolin scales.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that its officers have again, for the second time in two months, intercepted a huge catche of Pangolin scale worth N1.7billion in Lagos. This is even as the NCS revealed that findings have indicated that Nigeria is a conduit pipe being used by a yet to be identified international cartel in this illegal trade. Recall that the NCS in August had intercepted a huge catche of Pangolin scales worth N22billion in Lagos.

Saturday, 2 October 2021
Muingi S 2021. Kenya - security hubs to be set up near Tsavo as poaching increases.

Stakeholders of the Tsavo Landscape Multi-Agency Wildlife Security Hub in Taita Taveta have agreed to establish wildlife security hubs to tackle human-wildlife conflicts, illegal trafficking and poaching. The two state of the art centres will be located at Kenya Wildlife Services office in Voi and at the Kasigau wildlife corridor. Wildlife insecurity in Kenya is characterised by poaching, illicit trade, commercial poaching for bush meat and destruction of habitats.

Wednesday, 29 September 2021
Chikoti M 2021. Chinese national imprisoned for 14 years in Malawi.

The kingpin of one of Southern Africa's most prolific wildlife trafficking syndicates, Lin Yun Hua, was today sentenced to 14 years in prison in Malawi. Lin received 14 years for dealing in rhino horn, alongside 14 years for possession of rhino horn and six years for money laundering.

Sunday, 26 September 2021
2021. Zimbabwe - Hwange man arrested in possession of ivory worth US$2000.

Zimbabwe Republic Police in Hwange arrested Bokisi Augustine (33) at St Mary's Village for illegally possessing an elephant tusk weighing 11.79 kgs and valued at US$2000.

Friday, 17 September 2021
Mounombou S 2021. Gabon - four nationals caught with ivory.

Alain Moukombou, Romuald Kassa, Gervais Bamdjogo and Ralph Ngayïkoukoudié, all Gabonese nationals, were arrested on 14 September to Mulundu in Ogooué-Lolo, in possession of six ivory tusks. Placed in custody to view the premises of the Judicial Police (PJ) Koula-moutou, suspected traffickers face up to 10 years in prison.

Saturday, 11 September 2021
2021. Radioactive rhino horns may deter poachers in SA.

South African scientists are studying ways to inject radioactive material into rhino horns to make them easier to detect at border posts, a move to discourage poaching, a researcher said on Friday. Poachers killed at least 249 rhinos in South Africa during the first six months of the year - 83 more than in the first half of 2020. The animals are slaughtered for their horns, which are smuggled into Asia where they are highly prized for traditional and medicinal purposes.

Thursday, 9 September 2021
2021. Gabon - ivory poachers arrested and Asian logging companies implicate.

The commune of Mouila, capital of the province of Ngounié, has once again been the scene of an arrest of suspected ivory tusk traffickers. The facts took place on Wednesday, September 8, 2021 around 1 p.m. in a place where the concerned had made an appointment.

Saturday, 4 September 2021
2021. Hefty sentence handed down to three poachers.

The South African Police Service on Saturday welcomed the sentences handed down to three poachers for charges relating to the killing of rhinos in the Kruger National Park.

Friday, 3 September 2021
Cotterell G 2021. Police seize abalone in the Western Cape worth about R2.4 million.

Police in the Overberg region of the Western Cape confiscated abalone with an estimated street value of R2.4 million on Thursday night.

Sunday, 18 July 2021
Rhino horn weighing 160kg seized at OR Tambo.

Customs officers of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) seized 32 pieces of rhino horn, weighing 160kg, at a cargo transit shed at the OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday, 17 July.

Thursday, 8 July 2021
2021. Suspected abalone poachers arrested near Robben Island.

Eight suspected abalone poachers were arrested close to Robben Island on Wednesday morning by Border Police stationed at Cape Town harbour According to a statement by the police, on Tuesday evening, law enforcement started with random vessel patrols in the bay and around Robben Island during a dark moon and calm sea conditions. The 920 shucked abalone seized had an estimated street value of R345 000.

Wednesday, 7 July 2021
2021. Ivory deal earns quartet lengthy jail terms.

Four men were each jailed for nine years after they were convicted of illegally possessing raw ivory which they intended to trade in Harare sometime last year.

Tuesday, 8 June 2021
2021. Guruve duo nabbed for ivory possession.

Two Mbire men have appeared at the Guruve Magistrates Court after being arrested in possession of 34kg of ivory and looking for a buyer.

Thursday, 3 June 2021
Muleya T 2021. R10m Abalone deal: Bail application date set.

A 35-year-old Zimbabwean and a Chinese man (28) who were recently arrested by South Africa's organised crime unit, the Hawks for illegal possession of dried Abalone worth nearly R10 million are set to make a formal bail application tomorrow at the Atlantis Magistrates' Court, in Western Cape province . Lawrence Muroma and Qing Quan Feng were found in possession of 70 boxes dried abalone on May 16.

Friday, 28 May 2021
Dembedza P 2021. Pair in court for possessing ivory.

Two Harare man have appeared in court after they were caught in possession of 22,88 kilogrammes of ivory worth $326 726 without a licence.

Wednesday, 26 May 2021
2021. Midrand pangolin poaching case delayed.

Olivia the pangolin's alleged poachers will have to remain behind bars until June after their case was postponed.The pangolin pulled through the weekend and was in a stable condition after being rescued from three alleged poachers at a Shell garage on the N1 road in Midrand last Friday.

Saturday, 22 May 2021
Nemakonde V 2021. SANParks takes legal action over 'sensationalised' reports of dead rhino.

While it was initially thought that the Rhino may have been shot, the post mortem team established that the rhino died of natural causes (fighting).

Friday, 21 May 2021
Coetzer M 2021. PICS: Alleged poachers caught trying to sell pangolin in Midrand.

Three alleged pangolin poachers were bust red-handed and arrested when they tried to sell an animal to a "potential client" at a Shell garage on the N1 in Midrand on Friday. Olivia was the seventh pangolin rescued this year from poachers.

Friday, 21 May 2021
2021. SANParks criticised after tourists find employee, man harvesting black rhino horn.

A gruesome discovery by a group of tourists on a night-drive in Kruger National Park earlier this month has raised questions about how a rhino died. The tourists spotted a man emerging from bushes holding a horn dripping with blood, chopped from a critically-endangered Black rhino carcass, just 15m away. He and another man, dressed in what appeared to be a uniform, have subsequently been confirmed by SANParks to be employed by the park.

Tuesday, 18 May 2021
2021. DR Congo - Chinese man in possession of ivory arrested at Kinshasa airport.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a Chinese national was apprehended at N’djili airport in Kinshasa in possession of ivory. As he was preparing to leave Congolese territory on a flight, a Chinese national named Huang was arrested after the discovery of a large quantity of ivory concealed in a milk box.

Tuesday, 11 May 2021
2021. Angola - police arrest poachers including a police inspector at Bicuar NP.

The Angolan police arrested seven poachers, including an inspector, in the Bicuar National Park, in Huíla province, who were mainly hunting elephants for the sale of ivory.

Tuesday, 4 May 2021
2021. Mozambique - five detained for possession of ivory, lion teeth, leopard skin and pangolin skeleton.

Five Mozambican citizens were detained by the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) in Tete city and Chitima, a village in Cahora-Bassa district, on Monday, having being found in possession of 11 elephant tusks, lions’ teeth, a leopard skin and a pangolin skeleton.

Thursday, 29 April 2021
2021. Kenya - two arrested with tusks in Meru.

Two suspects have been arrested at the Meru National Park for being in possession of five elephant tusks weighing 28 kilos with a street value of Sh2.8 million.

Thursday, 29 April 2021
2021. Kenya - Man arrested with an elephant tusk in Tsavo West National Park.

Kenya Wildlife Service has arrested a suspected poacher in possession of an elephant tusk at Elerai area in Tsavo West National Park. The tusk is suspected to be one of the two extracted from an elephant which was killed at Losoito in Tsavo West National Park, close to a month ago.

Saturday, 24 April 2021
Watson A 2021. South Africa - suspected poacher killed by elephants and three caught.

This week, an elephant trampled a suspected poacher to death in the Kruger Park after he ran in to a breeding herd trying to escape rangers. Another three suspected poachers have been arrested in the Kruger National Park (KNP), this time in the Crocodile Bridge section at the south end of the almost 20,000km² reserve.

Monday, 19 April 2021
2021. Kenya - Kwale man arrested with 12 tusks.

A Kwale County government officer has been arrested by police officers after being found in illegal possession of 12 pieces of elephant tusks weighing 35 Kg in Matuga sub-county. The 53-year-old county employee, Josphat Mtoi Kuri, works as a clerical officer in Kinango Sub County was arrested inside a local guest house by a team of security officers drawn from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and Criminal Investigation Department Officers who have been trailing him for some days.

Tuesday, 6 April 2021
Tenywa G 2021. Ugandan policemen held over possession of wildlife products.

Five people including three policemen have ended up in hot soup over possession of wildlife trophies including elephant ivory. According to Bashir Hangi, the Public Relations Manager at Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the suspects were arrested in two different incidences in Kampala and Kapelabyong in Teso sub region.

Friday, 12 March 2021
Madzianike N 2021. St George's College clerk caught with ivory.

A clerk at St George's College in Harare appeared in court after he was arrested in the capital’s suburb of Budiriro, while attempting to trade raw ivory worth US$2 099.

Friday, 5 March 2021
Dykes J 2021. The crackdown on rhino poaching is starting to pay off, but conservation is more crucial than ever.

Although the fight is far from over, rhino poaching is in decline. Tough enforcement is part of the solution, but the power of grassroots conservation mustn't be overlooked The sound of Judge Siboleka's gavel reverberated through the Windhoek High Court on April 19, 2019. Four heads bowed in acceptance of egregious crimes. Sternly, Siboleka extended the sentences of Wang Hui, Pu Xuexin, Li Zhihing and Li Xiaoliang from 11 years to 15. Their charge: the illegal export of 14 rhino horns from Namibia in March 2014.

Thursday, 4 March 2021
2021. Zambian poacher caught in Namibia trying to cross into Botswana.

One suspected Zambian ivory poacher was arrested and four others escaped when they were ambushed by police in Namibia while trying to cross into wildlife-rich northern Botswana. The poachers were accosted by a Namibian border patrol unit on the Namibian side of the Linyanti River as they tried to cross into the Okavango Delta on Thursday night.

Thursday, 4 February 2021
2021. Sars busts R53 million worth of rhino horns at OR Tambo.

The 18-pieces haul, destined for Malaysia, was found concealed in traditional clothing. The Hawks have conscated a shipment of rhino horns worth more than R53 million at OR Tambo International Airpot on Thursday, destined for Malaysia. This after the customs unit of the South African Revenue Service (Sars) at the airport bust the rhino horn after the detector dog unit selected a suspicious shipment declared as "HP Cartridges Developers", according to the statement from Sars.

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