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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.

Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.

Displaying results 1 - 22 of 22
Saturday, 25 May 2024
2024. Trial date set for Malaysias first court case on trafficking of African Rhino horns.

The trial is set to begin this September, close to three years after the 50 pieces of horns were seized not far from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The men sprung a surprise in court today when they opted for a trial. It was a reversal of the guilty plea they had recorded at an earlier court appearance last month. Media and conservation groups gathered at court on Wednesday (24 April) had expected a penalty to be given to the two men.

Friday, 24 May 2024
Dennis P 2024. Customs intercepts 40-ft container of illegal wildlife products.

The Special Wildlife Office of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has intercepted a 40-foot container of illegal wildlife products in Vietnam. Three suspects were also arrested in connection with the crime, barely six weeks after a similar seizure by Vietnam authorities. The Nigeria Customs Service, in a statement made available to newsmen, and signed by Asst. Comptroller Abimbola Isafiade, said the operation was conducted by the combined efforts of the officers of the Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone C, in a joint enforcement operation with the Wildlife Justice Commission, WJC…

Wednesday, 22 May 2024
Kantene N 2024. State of poaching in the Kruger National Park (Latest stats and data).
State of poaching in the Kruger National Park (Latest stats and data).
Wednesday, 22 May 2024
Smit E 2024. Illegaler Handel mit Wildtieren "bleibt Immens".

Trotz Bemühungen um Eindämmung des Handels mit bedrohten Tierarten wie Elefanten geht der illegale Handel mit Wildtieren weltweit unvermindert weiter. Dies geht aus dem einem Bericht des Büros der Vereinten Nationen für Drogen- und Verbrechensbekämpfung (UNODC) hervor, der eine Bestandsaufnahme der weltweiten Anti-Wilderei- Maßnahmen enthält.

Tuesday, 21 May 2024
Smit E 2024. Illegal wildlife trade 'remains immense' - UN.

Despite progress to curtail the trafficking of iconic species such as elephants, illegal wildlife trafficking continues unabated on a global scale. This is according to the 2024 World Wildlife Crime Report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which takes stock of efforts to counter poaching worldwide. The report highlights that wildlife trafficking has not seen a significant enough decrease over the past two decades, prompting a call for enhanced enforcement of existing laws, including measures to combat corruption.

Friday, 17 May 2024
Babalola Y 2024. Customs arrests shipper, supplier over illegal export of Wildlife.

The Nigeria Customs Service Special Wildlife Office, over the weekend, announced the arrest of a Shipper and supplier responsible for the illegal exportation of a 40ft container of illegal Wildlife to Vietnam. It was gathered that the illegal wildlife products were intercepted and reported in Vietnam in April 2024 while the arrest of the suspects was made by the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) and the enforcement officers of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone C, Owerri, Imo state.

Friday, 17 May 2024
2024. Other cases relating to poaching to be joined in Brockerhoff case.
The Namibian police have reported that they have arrested five suspects in relation to an incident where a White Rhino bull was shot and killed, and its horns removed on a farm in the Gobabis district on May 4, 2024. Derick Brockerhoff, aged 47, and his co-accused Markus Rooinasie, 27, 5who are in custody after being arrested in April for being found with two carcasses of wild game meat, a kudu, and an oryx, without a permit in the Eros mountains, appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate Court on 17 May 2024.
Friday, 10 May 2024
2024. Five suspects arrested for rhino poaching in Gobabis.
THE Namibian police have reported that they have arrested five suspects in relation to an incident where a White Rhino bull was shot and killed, and its horns removed on a farm in the Gobabis district on May 4, 2024. According to Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, the national spokesperson of the Namibian police, the arrested suspects are Michael Shomeya Koshondatile (39), Barnabas Shitaleni Muzanime (35), Victory Henghono (31), Imanuel Stafanus Nangwasha (34), and Petrus Petrus Nghifindaka (31), and the matter was postponed to August 13, 2024.
Thursday, 9 May 2024
Steynberg F 2024. Geen borgtog vir 'renosterstropers' van Gobabis-bul.

Die beskuldigdes wat die afgelope naweek betrokke was by die stropery van ‘n witrenosterbul op 'n plaas in die Gobabis-distrik, bly in aanhouding. Volgens die hoofwoordvoerder van die Namibiese polisie, adjunk-kommissaris Kauna Shikwambi, het die beskuldigdes reeds in die landdroshowe van Gobabis en Katutura in Windhoek verskyn. Die name van die beskuldigdes soos verskaf deur Shikwambi is Micheal Shomeya Koshondatile (39), Barnabas Shitaleni Muzanime (35), die 31-jarige Petrus Petrus Nghifindaka, Victory Henghono (ook 31) en die 34-jarige Imanuel Stafanus Nangwasha.

Thursday, 9 May 2024
Steynberg F 2024. No bail for 'rhino poachers' from Gobabis bull.

The suspects involved in the poaching of a white rhinoceros bull on a farm in the Gobabis district remain in custody. According to the spokesperson of the Namibian police, Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, the suspects have already appeared in the magistrate's courts of Gobabis and Katutura in Windhoek over the past weekend. The names of the suspects as provided by Shikwambi are Micheal Shomeya Koshondatile (39), Barnabas Shitaleni Muzanime (35), 31-year-old Petrus Petrus Nghifindaka, Victory Henghono (also 31), and 34-year-old Imanuel Stafanus Nangwasha.

Wednesday, 8 May 2024
Dlamini M 2024. Namibian precious wildlife is under threat from criminals.

Namibia's precious wildlife is under threat from criminals, as illegal wildlife trade has become the world's fourth-largest form of transnational crime. This was said by Ana Beatriz Martins, the European Union's ambassador to Namibia, at a press debriefing for 'Operation Saving Wildlife through Multilateral Cooperation in Africa' (Sama) in Windhoek yesterday. She said dozens of wildlife species have been pushed ever closer to extinction by habitat loss and illegal trade.

Wednesday, 8 May 2024
Steynberg F 2024. Renosterstropers slaan derde keer op plaas toe.

'n Karkas van 'n groot witrenosterbul is Sondagoggend op 'n plaas in die Gobabis-distrik ontdek wat

Friday, 3 May 2024
Reiter C 2024. Neue Nashorn-Initiative.
Die Finanzierung der Nashorn-Schutzinitiativen ist eine fortdauernde Herausforderung. Der Save the Rhino Trust von Namibia hat kürzlich das neue "Rhino Guardianship Certificate" eingeführt und möchte so weitere Schutzmaßnahmen im Kampf gegen die Wilderei schaffen. Funding rhino conservation initiatives is an ongoing challenge. The Save the Rhino Trust of Namibia recently introduced the new "Rhino Guardianship Certificate" and would like to create further protective measures in the fight against poaching.
Friday, 3 May 2024
Steynberg F 2024. Suspected poachers killed in exchange of fire with cops in Etosha.

Two suspected poachers were shot to death in an exchange of fire with members of the anti-poaching unit in the Etosha National Park on Wednesday. The incident occurred at the Scorpionbelt, Western Zone, when a patrol of the anti-poaching unit observed shoeprints that had entered the park through the park's fence. According to the police, the suspects' tracks were pursued for a distance of 60 km up to a water point where Rhinos mostly feed on small shrubs.

Tuesday, 22 December 2015
2015. Chinese man gets 10-year prison sentence for rhino horn possession.

A Chinese businessman was sentenced to 10 years in prison or alternatively pay N$100 000 for the illegal possession of protected wildlife specimen in the Opuwo magistrate court on Monday.

Monday, 21 December 2015
Sasman C 2015. Poaching smells like an inside job.

The head of the Namibian Police, Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga, said he would dismiss with contempt any claim that the government does not have a real commitment to root out the poaching of Namibia’s wildlife. “Cabinet has allocated a lot of resources to combat and eradicate poaching. It is a costly exercise. This is an indication of how serious government is,” he stressed. Ndeitunga said it is clear that the poaching of rhinos and elephants in Namibian national parks is a well-orchestrated and well-funded transnational organised crime.

Friday, 18 December 2015
Sasman C 2015. Ya Nangoloh dared to give evidence.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Namibian Police have requested evidence from Namibia Media Holdings (NMH) as well as the executive director of Namrights, Phil ya Nangoloh, to substantiate allegations of political leaders’ involvement in rhino and elephant poaching. At a joint press briefing on Wednesday, Minister Pohamba Shifeta and police chief Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga requested ya Nangoloh to submit the said evidence before the end of December.

Thursday, 17 December 2015
Haidula T 2015. Shifeta unaware of ministers who poach.

Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta says he is not aware of any ministers or former members of parliament involved in poaching. Meanwhile, police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga says he cannot deny that ministers or members of parliament were involved in poaching, but he wanted to know who they are so he can lay his hands on them. The minister and the police chief were reacting to reports in the Namibian Sun that NamRights executive director Phil ya Nangoloh had allegedly submitted a report to Ndeitunga in which political leaders are accused of involvement in…

Tuesday, 15 December 2015
Menges W 2015. Rhino horn trial moves on to defence case.

The trial of four Chinese citizens accused of having tried to smuggle two suitcases containing rhino horns out of Namibia in March last year is scheduled to continue in the Windhoek Regional Court next month.

Monday, 14 December 2015
Smit E 2015. State closes in landmark rhino horn trial.

The State has closed its case in Namibia’s biggest rhino horn smuggling trial to date, in which four Chinese nationals stand accused of trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns out of the country. Li Xiaoliang, Li Zhibing, Pu Xuexin and Wang Hui appeared in the Windhoek Regional Court in Katutura last week for the continuation of their trial. They were arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle rhino horns worth more than N$2.3 million and a leopard skin valued at N$50 000 out of Namibia. The items were found in two luggage bags at the Hosea Kutako International Airport on March 24 last…

Friday, 4 December 2015
Smit E 2015. State suffers huge blow in rhino case.

The State has suffered a huge blow in a rhino smuggling case, after the Windhoek Regional Court in Katutura ruled that the evidence three of the four accused gave in their bail hearings cannot be used in their trial. Li Xiaoliang, Li Zhibing, Pu Xuexin, whose bail evidence was ruled on, appeared with Wang Hui yesterday. They were arrested for trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns worth more than N$2.3 million and a leopard skin worth N$50 000 out of Namibia last year.

Thursday, 3 December 2015
Smit E 2015. Vicious legal battles in landmark smuggling case.

The State and the defence have locked horns over the constitutional right of the accused not to incriminate themselves, in a landmark rhino horn smuggling trial involving Chinese nationals, whose families are reportedly blissfully unaware of their legal troubles in Namibia. Li Xiaoliang, Li Zhibing, Pu Xuexin and Wang Hui appeared yesterday in the Windhoek Regional Court in Katutura. They have been arrested for trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns worth more than N$2.3 million and a leopard skin of N$50 000 out of Namibia last year.

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