Of the 6 060 arrests made in connection with wildlife crime cases since 2015, only 1 802 resulted in convictions by the end of 2024 - a conviction rate of just 30%. By the end of 2024, 1 738 of the 2 845 wildlife crime cases registered since 2015 remained unresolved, a new report has revealed. The Namibia National Report on Wildlife Protection for 2024 notes that these figures highlight shortcomings in gathering sufficient evidence during investigations, effectively proving guilt during prosecutions, finalising cases in court and ultimately, delivering justice. The report warns that the high number of unresolved cases places a huge burden on law enforcement, the judiciary, prosecutors and detention facilities. "Identifying and charging the suspect(s) is the vital first step in delivering justice for a committed crime. Then begins the arduous task of securing sufficient incriminating evidence and preparing the case for trial," the authors write. The report notes further that while "arrests are widely celebrated as ultimate successes yet arrests of perpetrators are meaningless if they do not lead to appropriate sentences." Justice served The authors add that “while conviction rates in finalised cases were above 70% for all years since 2016, the rate of case finalisation has been far below the rate of case registration." The report notes that the ultimate aim of an arrest is to ensure a conviction with an appropriate sentence for the committed crime and that to achieve this, investigators and prosecutors need to work closely together, and the courts must recognise the seriousness of the crime. Moreover, the point of criminal prosecutions is to ensure justice is served by demonstrating the guilt of charged suspects and convincing the court of a suitable sentence to fit the committed crime.