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Pretoria - In a significant victory against rhino trafficking and wildlife related cases, a 54-year old wanted fugitive Zimbabwean national, Thomas Chauke, also known as Sazu Nkambuya has been convicted and sentenced to 110 years' imprisonment. This follows a meticulous and extensive investigation by the detectives attached to the SAPS Head Office, Stock Theft and Endangered Species (STES) which led to successful conviction and sentencing of Chauke on six counts of rhino poaching and wildlife related cases, and three counts of escaping from lawful custody.

A proposed bill in the United Kingdom (UK) oversimplifies the complex issues surrounding wildlife conservation and poaching. This is according to Namibia Professional Hunting Association (Napha) vice ombudsman Danene van der Westhuizen who says the anti-hunting movement treats regulated hunting and illegal poaching as the same thing. The bill seeks to ban the importation of hunting trophies from lions, elephants and other animals.

Kimberley - The vigilance of a Springbok SAPS K9 team led to the arrest of three suspects found in possession of rhino horns and protected plants in Springbok on Monday, 11 November 2024. The police received information about an unknown vehicle transporting rhino horns on the R355 road between Springbok and Gamoep. The intelligence was operationalised and a vehicle checkpoint (VCP) was set up on the said road to stop and search all vehicles. The police K9 protected species dog, Ozzy positively responded the luggage in one of the vehicles stopped and searched.

The Namibian authorities arrested 654 people linked to 389 wildlife-crime cases registered in the country last year. This is according to a 2023 national report on wildlife protection and law enforcement in Namibia completed by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism. The report shows that 96 wildlife-crime court cases were finalised. Twelve cases involving pangolins, eight cases for elephants, four cases involving trees and an additional four cases involving rhinos were finalised in court.

Three suspects were shot and fatally wounded in a shootout with police in the early hours of Wednesday, 31 January 2024. Police received intelligence that a group involved in serious crimes including murders committed in the Inanda area were hiding at the Lungelani Informal Settlement in La Mercy. A team comprising of various police disciplines including members of the Hawks descended on the location. Realising that they were surrounded, the suspects opened fire at the police and a shootout ensued.

Two carcasses of rhinos were found in the Etosha National Park last Monday and Wednesday.

Oshana police commissioner Naftal Sakaria says armed poachers found in the Etosha National Park should surrender to the police or they will be shot. Police inspector general Joseph Shikongo last week appointed Sakaria as the commander of the anti-poaching unit in Etosha National Park for a period of six months. While in this position, he will also remain the Oshana regional commander. Sakaria is tasked with commanding the police and military forces deployed in the flagship park to protect animals, especially iconic animals such elephants and rhinos, from being poached.

The first eight months of 2022 saw 48 rhinos poached, four times more than the rhinos poached in 2021, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism announced on Wednesday. The country recorded 44 rhinos poached in 2021, 42 in 2020, 57 in 2019, 83 in 2018, and 55 in 2017. The Etosha National Park alone saw 20 cases this year, with two carcasses discovered in the area just last week. In total, 32 poached rhinos are black and 16 are white. A total of 12 black rhinos were poached on custodianship farms and 16 white rhinos were poached on private farms.

Namibia saw 48 rhinos killed for their horns in the first eight months of 2022, four more than the 44 cases reported in 2021. The country recorded 44 rhinos poached in 2021, 42 in 2020, 57 in 2019, 83 in 2018, and 55 in 2017. Etosha National Park alone saw 20 cases this year, with two carcasses discovered in the area just last week. The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism said of the poached rhinos, 32 are black and 16 are white.

Three men have been arrested in connection with wildlife crime, Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said in a weekly wildlife crime report on Wednesday. According to the report, Alberto Johannes Joel was arrested on 12 September this year at Otavi in the Otjozondjupa region. He was reportedly found in possession of a live pangolin. Another suspect, Ignasius Mbaraka Mutunda, was arrested in connection with a June 2020 case when he was allegedly found in possession of a rhino carcass. He was arrested on Friday at Outjo in the Kunene region.

Paulus Pendapala (48), who has been arrested in connection with the possession of a rhino horn with a pastor and a police officer, has died. His death on Saturday came two weeks after he was denied bail in the Ondangwa Magistrate's Court on the basis that he was facing charges of dealing in wildlife products. According to acting Oshikoto regional commander commissioner Petrus Shigwedha, Paulus complained that he was not feeling well at about 11h00 on Saturday.

A pastor and a member of the Namibian Police, who were allegedly found in possession of a rhino horn, were last week granted bail in the amount of N$5 000 each when they appeared in the Ondangwa Magistrate's Court. Alfons Tjikuru of the Enlightened Christian Gathering at Otjiwarongo, which is led by the controversial 'prophet' Shepherd Bushiri, and officer Michael Muronga, as well as Herman Paulus were arrested on 13 March this year after they were allegedly found in possession of rhino horn.

A 69-year-old man and two Angolans were arrested on Tuesday for poaching a giraffe in a conservancy in Omusati region.

Members of Upington Highway patrol have arrested a male suspect in connection with possession of Endangered Species. Police got information about the suspect yesterday and it was operationalized. The suspect was found at a hiking spot in Upington hitch hiking to Olifantshoek. He was searched and pangolin skin was found in his luggage. It is valued at about R108 750.00, weighing 2,05 kg.

With conservation funding affected by the lockdown, a number of areas in north-western Namibia’s rhino range have been left exposed by the lack of tourists thus requiring extra patrolling. With the donation of 1,000 ounces of gold by B2Gold, the launch of the B2Gold Rhino Gold Bar in January 2020 and the subsequent sale of 600 bars to local buyers, the B2Gold Rhino Gold Bar Advisory Committee has responded to the crisis.

Northern Cape-The Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation has resulted in the arrest of a 48-year-old suspect for allegedly trading in a pangolin. The suspect who originates from Botswana was arrested on Tuesday after information surfaced that he intended selling a pangolin that is an endangered species. A sting operation resulted in the suspect being arrested after he was found in possession of the said pangolin.

Local short film, ‘Baxu and the Giants’ will have its first public screening of the year at the DHPS Auditorium, on Thursday, 6 February. Entrance is free but any donations to the Save the Rhino Trust will be welcome.

The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the conviction and sentencing of three rhino poaching accused, including two Zimbabwean nationals by the Mahwelereng Regional Court on 31 March 2025.