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.
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A total of 707 suspects have been arrested in connection with rhino poaching between January 2023 and March of this year. Currently, 589 suspects are in custody awaiting trial, 91 suspects have been convicted, 21 are out on bail, five have been released, two were acquitted, and one suspect has died. Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta provided these statistics during his budget motivation for the 2024-2025 financial year.
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NAM_2024_04_Hundreds behind bars for rhino poaching_Namibian Sun.pdf | 65.67 KB |
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NAM_2024_Urgent meeting called to discuss steep rise in rhino poaching_Namibian Sun.pdf | 71.82 KB |
'n Dringende hoëvlak-vergadering tussen die ministerie van omgewing, bosbou en toerisme en sekuriteitsgroepe is belê nadat 28 renosters in die eerste drie maande van die jaar in Namibië gestroop is. Uit die 28 renosters is 19 in die Etosha Nasionale Park gestroop. Volgens die ministerie se woordvoerder Romeo Muyunda is tien van die 19 gestroopte renosters in die park verlede maand tydens onthoringsoperasies ontdek.
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NAM_2024_04_28 renosters reeds vanjaar gestroop_Republikein.pdf | 63.11 KB |
NAM_2024_04_28 rhinos already poached this year _Republikein_Eng.pdf | 61.37 KB |
In the first incident at Rundu, a Namibian was arrested on 6 May for possession of a pangolin skin. Mukunga Leonard Mwamba was charged with illegal possession of and dealing in controlled wildlife products. At Kamanjab on 7 May, an Angolan national was arrested in possession of a pangolin skin. He was charged with contravening the Controlled Wildlife and Trade Act, illegal possession of and dealing in controlled wildlife products. Lastly, two Namibians were arrested at Oshakati on 14 May for being in possession of a pangolin skin.
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NAM_2021_05_Four nabbed with pangolin skins_Namibian Sun_0.pdf | 302.98 KB |
Within a period of two weeks there have been three wildlife crime cases recorded and four suspects have been arrested and charged. These cases were reported from 3 to 16 May, according to information provided by the intelligence and investigation unit within the environment ministry and the protected resources unit within the safety and security ministry. In the first incident at Rundu, a Namibian was arrested on 6 May for possession of a pangolin skin. Mukunga Leonard Mwamba was charged with illegal possession of and dealing in controlled wildlife products.
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NAM_2021_05_Four nabbed with pangolin skins_Namibian Sun.pdf | 293.65 KB |
Three of these suspects were arrested in separate cases on the same day at Nkurenkuru for being in possession of python skins. On 26 April, four Namibians were arrested at Okahao for being in possession of a giraffe carcass. They were charged with illegal hunting of specially protected game, illegal hunting on state land, failure to account for a game meat in their possession, defeating the course of justice and conspiracy to hunt specially protected game.
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NAM_2021_05_Three caught at Nkurenkuru with python skins_Namibian Sun.pdf | 280.82 KB |