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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 - 6 of 6
Wednesday, 17 March 2021
Smit E 2021. 110 pangolin scales confiscated at Outapi.

The police confiscated 110 pangolin scales when they arrested two men at Outapi on 7 March. The two Namibians, Nikodemus Kotekeni Hafeni Nicodemus and Simon Akwenye, were also found in the possession of one pangolin skin.

Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Smit E 2021. Six arrested for wildlife crimes.

Six suspects were arrested in connection with wildlife crimes and five new cases were registered recently, while five wildlife products were seized. Two suspects were arrested for rhino poaching or trafficking. Another suspect was arrested for elephant poaching or trafficking. This is according to information provided by the intelligence and investigation unit within the ministry of environment and tourism and the protection resources division within the safety and security ministry. On 28 February, Muronga Hamutima was arrested at Rundu for being in possession of a pangolin skin…

Monday, 8 March 2021
Smit E 2021. 17 arrested for wildlife crimes last month.

A total of 17 suspects were arrested in connection with wildlife crimes and nine new cases were registered last month, while 21 wildlife products were seized. This is according to information provided by the intelligence and investigation unit within the environment ministry and the protected resources division within the safety and security ministry. Wildlife products confiscated included three pangolin skins, two live pangolins, two elephant tusks, four elephant tusk pieces, two hippo teeth, five lechwe carcasses and a giraffe carcass.

Monday, 26 October 2015
Smit E 2015. Poaching rate triples.

Namibia has already lost three times the number of rhinos in 2015 compared to that of last year. A total of 77 rhinos and 37 elephants have been poached so far this year. This was confirmed by the Director of Parks and Wildlife Management in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Colgar Sikopo on Friday. Namibia has experienced a sharp increase in cases of rhino poaching over the past five years. Namibia lost one rhino to poaching in 2009 and 2010 respectively; two rhinos were illegally killed in 2012, four in 2013 and 25 last year.

Thursday, 22 October 2015
Smit E 2015. Rhino kingpin offered police a bribe.

Chief Inspector Barry de Klerk of the Namibian Police’s Protective Resources Unit delivered explosive evidence in his testimony in the trail of four Chinese nationals accused in Namibia’s biggest rhino-horn smuggling case. De Klerk described the hierarchy of an organised Chinese Triad. He revealed that Wang Hui was the kingpin in the group and said he was offered a bribe to ensure that Wang escaped justice. De Klerk said the bribery attempt is still being investigated.

Tuesday, 20 October 2015
Smit E 2015. Chinese rhino kingpin found with gold.

The Chinese national who is suspected of being the kingpin in one of Namibia’s biggest rhino-horn smuggling cases was found with gold, bank cards, bank books as well as other suspect items when he was arrested. Wang Huii, who operates an import and export company in Otjiwarongo, stands accused along with three other Chinese nationals Li Xiaoliang, Li Zhibing, Pu Xuexin who all appeared in the Windhoek Regional Court in Katutura yesterday for the continuation of their trial. 

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