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.
Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.
The High Court has dismissed both the unlawful detention and bail applications filed by convicted wildlife trafficker and corruption suspect Yunhua Lin, ruling that he remains a serious flight risk and that releasing him could compromise ongoing proceedings. Delivering his determination, Judge Redson Kapindu said Lin's previous conduct and the gravity of the offences he faces justified his continued detention. The court has ordered that Lin be held at Dedza Prison pending the next hearing.
The Swakopmund poachers are at it again, and they have become even more dangerous in their recklessness by strewing the C-28 with metal spikes to deter any would-be pursuers. A local farmer found this out the hard way when driving along the C-28, the road via Goanikontes and the Bossau Pass to Windhoek when he lost two tyres to these spikes. Seems that the poachers also discarded their shoes along the way, which tells us they have been walking deep into the farms along the C-28 to do their poaching.
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| NAM_2025_09_Swakopmund poachers are at it again_Facebook.pdf | 45.39 KB |
In a game-changing decision in Zambia's fight against illegal logging, the Economic and Financial Crimes Division of the High Court has forfeited to the State a vast array of assets tied to a major illegal logging operation. This monumental judgment sends a clear message that criminal exploitation of the country's precious forests will not go unpunished. With trucks, machinery, and even land now forfeited to the state, the court has taken decisive action to protect Zambia's natural resources from further damage. The decision, made by Justices S.M. Wanjelani, A. Malaya-Ononuju,…
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| ZAM_2025_09_Zambias historic court judgement delivers major blow to illegal logging_Facebook.pdf | 54.19 KB |
A now 51 year old Czech who was found trying to smuggle 85 geckos, two snakes and two scorpions from Namibia into the EU via the Vienna Airport on the 23rd of May 2023 has been charged and fined 4000 Euros by a court in Austria (no date given) and all animals forfeited to the state. This was confirmed by the Head Public Relations Official of the Austrian Ministry of Finance, Steffan Trittner, after inquiring via e-mail a month ago. No further details were given because of "protection of data privacy".
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| NAM_2024_04_Smuggler fined €4000_Facebook.pdf | 540.1 KB |
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| MAL_2024_03_Two jailed for possessing live Pangolin in Balaka_Malawi 24.pdf | 230 KB |
Police at Chileka in Blantyre District have arrested two men for allegedly being found in possession of a dead pangolin. According to Sergeant Jonathan Phillipo who is Chileka police public relations officer, the suspects have been identified as Vincent McLoud, 23, and Noah Mgawa Nikolasi, 55. Sergeant Phillipo said Chileka Police Detectives arrested the two on Monday September 25, 2023 at Puli Village following a tip-off by well-wishers.
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| MAL_2023_09_Two arrested for possessing dead pangolin in Blantyre_Malawi24.pdf | 62.12 KB |
Two Mozambicans have been arrested in Mchinji after being found with a Pangolin. Public relations officer for Mchinji Police Station Limbani Mpinganjira has identified the two as Jackson Yakobe, 40, and Selemani Felix, 46. They were arrested on May 26, 2023 at around 7:00pm after officers from Department of Wildlife and Parks tipped Kamwendo Police that the two were offering for sale a live pangolin at Kadziyang’ane Trading Centre. Upon interrogations, the suspects revealed that the animal was taken from Mozambique and they were searching for a possible market in…
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| MAL_2023_05_Two Mozambicans found with pangolin in Malawi_Malawi24.pdf | 610.85 KB |
Police in Mangochi have arrested a 50-year old man for possession of nine pieces of ivory.
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| MAL_2022_07_Man nabbed for possessing Ivory_Malawi24.pdf | 408.87 KB |
The Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday sentenced 61-year-old Maliko Mndekano Mwale to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour for illegal possession of ivory. Mwale was found guilty of possession and dealing in government trophy contrary to Section 86 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act of 2017. Public Relations Officer for Lingazi Police Station Sub Inspector Salomy Zgambo has confirmed the conviction of Maliko Mndekano Mwale.
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| MAL_2022_05_Man gets 10 years in jail for illegal possession of ivory_Malawi24.pdf | 402.77 KB |
Police in Mchinji have arrested two men for allegedly being found in possession of a live Pangolin. The two have been identified as Mavuto Jophris aged 33 and Mandera Masauso aged 34. The arrest of the two suspects follows a tip off police received on May 12, 2022 that the two were offering for sell a live Pangolin which was concealed in an empty sack and placed in a backpack.
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| MAL_2022_05_Two found with pangolin in Mchinji_Malawi24.pdf | 163.63 KB |
As the cases of wildlife crime are on rise, Lilongwe Wildlife Trust has trained journalists in the country to follow and report court case procedures on Wildlife crimes accurately and in a professional manner.
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| MAL_2022_03_Journalists trained to report wildlife stories accurately_Malawi24.pdf | 433.89 KB |
Namwera Police Post in Mangochi has arrested Alex Jumbe, 50, for being found with a Pangolin. Mangochi Police Publicist Amina Tepani Daudi said the suspect who hails from Nakapa Village, Traditional Authority Bwananyambi in Mangochi was apprehended on March 16, 2022 at Mwambwanjira Trading Centre. Daudi added that Namwera Police detectives were tipped by members of the community that the suspect was offering for sale the listed species at the trading centre.
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| MAL_2022_03_Man arrested over Pangolin in Mangochi_Malawi24.pdf | 399.01 KB |
United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Malawi Rudolf Schwenk says the increased trends in poaching of animals such as elephants and pangolins in Malawi is very worrying and if left unaddressed, wildlife trafficking will continue to be a threat to achievement of sustainable development in the country.
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| MAL_2022_02_UN says wildlife crime in Malawi needs to be fully addressed_malawi24.pdf | 395.75 KB |
In the war on poaching, some of the best defenders have four legs. Trained canines are used in some of South Africa's national parks to detect wildlife contraband like rhino horns, pangolin scales, and ivory at airports and roadblocks. Other dogs are trained to track and apprehend poachers in the field. According to Save the Rhino, 9,885 rhinos have been lost to poaching in the last decade. But Carl Thornton, founder and director of Pit-Track K9 Conservation and Anti-Poaching Unit, says the numbers are likely much higher.
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| SA_2021_11_How Dogs Are Fighting Rhino Poaching_Treehugger.pdf | 574.43 KB |
Mangochi Police have arrested Group Village Headman Maundu aged 49 and Rashid White Jusa, 55, over possession of pangolin.
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| MAL_2021_10_Two arrested for possessing Pangolin in Mangochi_Malawi 24_Malawi news.pdf | 882.8 KB |
Two people have been arrested in Mulanje for being found with pangolin, a protected animal which is trafficked for its scales.
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| MAL_2021_05_Two arrested over pangolin possession_Malawi 24_Malawi news.pdf | 876.07 KB |