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.
Wildlife officials have hailed the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) recent decision to appeal what it called the lenient sentences handed to two rhino poachers in May, as well as the jailing this week of one of the men in a separate case.
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SA_2022_12_NPA applauded for tougher stance on rhino poachers_Mail and Guardian.pdf | 238.77 KB |
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Amara Cherif, a/k/a "Bamba Issiaka," a citizen of Guinea, was sentenced to 57 months for conspiring to traffic in millions of dollars in rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory, both endangered wildlife species, which involved the illegal poaching of more than approximately 35 rhinoceros and more than 100 elephants. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods.
Pretoria - Two men, Junior Chauke aged 49 and Prince Ntsako Letswele, aged 33 were remanded in custody by the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court after they were arrested for alleged possession of rhino horn. Hawks' spokesperson in Mpumalanga Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said the duo was arrested after police received information about a vehicle with the occupants in possession of firearms, reportedly driving towards Ermelo.
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SA_2022_12_Rhino horn in KFC bag_Two men in custody for carrying rhino horns worth R870 000_IOL.pdf | 382.41 KB |
Two people accused of money laundering avoided capture during a take-down operation in Mpumalanga. They are accused of paying money into accounts of Kruger National Park field rangers and their families in return for tactical information for rhino poaching syndicates. The Hawks have urged the pair to turn themselves in.
Cape Town - Anti-rhino poaching activist Wayne Bolton has called for stronger collaborative action from the government amid concern over rising rhino poaching cases. According to Bolton, rhino poaching across Africa saw a significant decrease during strict Covid-19 lockdowns, but as the restrictions loosened, poachers intensified their onslaught on the species, with South Africa being hardest hit.
The two main suspects have pending charges of corruption, money laundering and fraud to related wildlife trafficking. Photo for illustration: Susan Scott, Stroop Police have arrested nine suspects between the ages of 22 and 61 in a multidisciplinary poaching blitz codenamed "Blood Orange" conducted in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo provinces. The arrests follows a targeted investigation which involved looking into the suspect’s financial affairs, with auditing firm KPMG brought in to scrutinise the flow of cash into their accounts.
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SA_2022_12_Nine arrested in cross-province rhino poaching raid_The Citizen.pdf | 257.31 KB |
Quiçama Park administrator denounces that individuals with money have "encouraged" poachers. Lack of personnel and transport cited as a reason for poor enforcement. Park has just over 100 staff, but needs at least 600. In 2021, the Government presented a project to stop poaching in the country.
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ANG_2022-12_Illegal hunting in Quicama is spurred on by traffickers with financial power_NovoJornal.pdf | 298.79 KB |
International Rhino Foundation (IRF) communications director Christopher Whitlatch said: "Zimbabwean rhino poachers have been involved in major illegal activities in South Africa. "Taking the Eastern Cape as an example, the Zimbabwean rhino poaching gang that recently escaped from jail had been convicted for killing and dehorning numerous rhinos in hit-and-run incidents in that province. "Other cross-border rhino crimes include South African criminals operating in Zimbabwe," he said
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ZIM_2022_12_Locals driving rhino poaching in the region_Zimbabwe Independent.pdf | 201.84 KB |
The Kruger National Park (KNP) expects a decline in rhino poaching incidents due to heavy sentences imposed on five poachers in November. The acting managing executive of the KNP, Dr Danny Govender, commended the Skukuza Regional Court for imposing lengthy jail terms in recent cases and said it shows they are making good progress in fighting rhino poaching.
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SA_2022_12_KNP expects decline in rhino poaching_LowVelder.pdf | 401.71 KB |
A member of the Namibian Police Force's (NamPol) Protected Resources Unit (PRU) in the Otjozondjupa Region, who is accused of the alleged theft of a rhino horn placed under his care, secured bail on Thursday. Magistrate Peingondjabi Shipo granted the 45-year-old Sergeant Salatiel Simon bail of N.dollars 10 000, on condition that the accused does not leave the district of Otjiwarongo without informing police officers involved in the investigations of his case.
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NAM_2022_12_Police officer accused of theft of rhino horn out on bail_Namibia News Digest.pdf | 235.39 KB |
Altesaam 106 verdagtes is vanjaar vir stropery in hegtenis geneem. Intussen maak rolspelers gereed om wildbeskerming en wetstoepassingspogings teen wildmisdaad in Namibië hierdie feesseisoen op te skerp. Van hierdie 106 is 44 vir renosterstropery en 62 verdagtes vir olifantstropery in hegtenis geneem. Die ministerie van die omgewing, bosbou en toerisme se woordvoerder, mnr. Romeo Muyunda, het gesê wat ontstellend is, is dat 93 van dié verdagtes Namibiërs is - 'n groep wat volgens die ministerie die voortou in die stryd teen stropery behoort te neem.
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NAM_2022_12_Stropery_106 die jaar gearresteer_Republikein.pdf | 300.58 KB |
NAM_2022_12_Poaching_106 arrested this year_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 290.9 KB |
Die Namibiese polisie het verlede week op vyf olifanttande en een elk renosterhoring, ietermagôvel en ‘n voertuig beslag gelê.
Last week, Namibian police seized five elephant tusks and one rhinoceros horn, a pangolin skin and a vehicle.
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NAM_2020-06_5 olifanttande 1 renosterhoring gekonfiskeer_Republikein.pdf | 311.84 KB |
NAM_2020-06_5 pieces of ivory and rhino horn confiscated_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 219.59 KB |
Der Prozess gegen den der Nashorn-Wilderei beschuldigten Prediger Jackson Babi und dessen mutmaßlichen Komplizen Friza Dumeni, hat gestern eine Wendung genommen, als die Staatsanwaltschaft auch gegen einen Anhänger des selbsternannten Propheten formal Anklage erhoben hat.
The trial of preacher Jackson Babi, accused of poaching rhino and his alleged accomplice Friza Dumeni, took a turn yesterday when the prosecution also formally charged a supporter of the self-proclaimed prophet.
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NAM_2020-06_Babi_Junger in Erklarungsnot_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 338.26 KB |
NAM_2020-06_Babi disciples in need of explanation_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 240.5 KB |
Die vermeende renosterstroper, pastoor Jackson Babi en een van sy kerkvolgelinge, mnr. Ananias Ananias, het vandag in die Windhoek-landdroshof op twee klagte van die oortreding van die teenkorrupsiewet verskyn.
The alleged rhino poacher, pastor Jackson Babi and one of his church followers, Mr. Ananias Ananias, appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court today on two charges of violating the anti-corruption law.
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NAM_2029-06_Babi volgeling van omkopery aangekla_Republikein.pdf | 309.47 KB |
NAM_2020-06_Babi follower charged with bribery-Republikein_Eng.pdf | 213.87 KB |
An attempt by Prophet Jackson Babi to bribe the detective investigating poaching charges against him to bear false testimony in court during his formal bail application, has caused the man of God to sink deeper into legal trouble. Besides an amount of N$13 000 in cash police officers searching the cells during the past weekend also found two mobile phones in the possession of the accused persons while they were incarcerated at the Windhoek Police Station which added even more charges to the accused persons’ charge sheets.
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NAM_2020-06_Prophet appears on attempted bribery charge_Informante.pdf | 289.79 KB |
While only two new cases of wildlife crimes were reported recently, eight suspects were arrested and charged. At Katima Mulilo, Roster Mazila Mukendwa was arrested on 14 June for the illegal hunting of protected game. He was found in possession of a duiker carcass and charged with contravening the Nature Conservation Ordinance Act. In a separate incident, Gerhard Iyambo was arrested on 17 June at Okahao in connection with an old case, dating back to February, regarding conspiring to hunt a rhino.
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NAM_2020-06_Eight arrested for wildlife crimes_Namibian Sun.pdf | 282.91 KB |
A ministerial panel is reviewing policies on international trade in rhino products. Any move to legalise this trade would be a disaster - for the remaining population of wild rhinos, for South Africa's tourism and for
impoverished people living near our wildlife reserves.
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SA_2020-06_Legalising rhino horn trade will be a disaster_DailyMaverick.pdf | 172.26 KB |
The Rhino Files are periodic articles exploring the complexity of rhino conservation in Namibia.
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NAM_2020-06_The Rhino Files_ Rhino conservation during a pandemic_The Namibian.pdf | 597.64 KB |
The regulatory measures apply to all sub-species of black rhino found in South Africa, including the Eastern black rhino, and the white rhino.
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SA_2020-06_Tighter provisions for domestic trade in rhino horn published_South Coast Herald.pdf | 822.76 KB |
Botswana began removing the horns from its rhinos and moving them away from the iconic Okavango Delta as an unprecedented poaching crisis threatens their survival in the country. The government said that at least 56 of the animals had been killed by poachers in the past two years, marking the worst onslaught since Botswana’s black rhino population was wiped out in 1992 and the number of white rhinos dropped to just 27.
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BOT_2020-06_Botswana saws off horns to save rhinos from poachers_Citypress.pdf | 3.12 MB |
Umweltministerium setzt auf Nachhaltigkeit und bekämpft erfolgreich die Wilderei. Obwohl der Sektor als maßgebliches Wirtschaftsstandbein gehandelt wird, steht das Ministerium für Umwelt, Forstwirtschaft und Tourismus mit seinem Ausgabenplan im namibischen Haushalt für 2020-21 gerade Mal an 16. Stelle von insgesamt 33 Ausgabenposten. Der Minister verlässt sich indessen auf viel Hilfe aus Deutschland und von weiteren Entwicklungspartnern.
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NAM_2020-06_Große Plaene mit wenig Geldmitteln_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 368.36 KB |
NAM_2020-06_Big plans with little money_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 265.53 KB |
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has allocated 36% of its budget to wildlife and protected area management. This was announced by minister of environment, forestry and tourism Pohamba Shifeta during his budget motivation in the National Assembly on Thursday.
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NAM_2020-06_Wildlife gets bulk of environment budget_The Namibian.pdf | 755.58 KB |
Botswana's Wildlife Department had embarked on an operation to relocate and dehorn all rhinos to tackle poaching in the country. According to a statement issued by the department on Monday, the Okavango Delta rhino population had been hard hit with 56 animals reported poached as of May 4.
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BOT_2020-06_Botswana resumes dehorning to fight rhino poaching_Xinhua.pdf | 309.13 KB |
Lubango, Angola, June 16 (Xinhua) - Two men have been arrested on Tuesday by the National Police of Angola while they were heading towards the central Huila province with 28 kg of ivory.
Namibia has managed to arrest more than 1,790 suspected poachers of high valued and iconic species such as rhino and elephant at the end of 2018 up to May 2020, an official said this week.
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NAM_2020-06_More than 1790 poaching suspects netted over 2 years_Namibia Economist.pdf | 613.72 KB |
The Chinese Academy of Engineering claims that the 'legal' wildlife industry is valued at $74 billion. South Africa is the largest exporter of live wild animals to Asia. At least 5 035 live wild animals were exported from South Africa to China between 2016 and 2019, according to The Breaking Point report published by the EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading (BAT).
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SA_2020-06_The Breaking Point_Could this report spell the end of SAs wildlife trade_IOL.pdf | 187.55 KB |
A rhino horn, two elephant tusks, a pangolin skin and a crocodile skin were seized by the police last week. Thirteen suspects were arrested in connection with rhino poaching or trafficking and two for elephant poaching or trafficking. Five wildlife products were seized: a rhino horn, two elephant tusks, a pangolin skin and a crocodile skin.
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NAM_2020-06_17 arrested for wildlife crimes_Namibian Sun.pdf | 235.64 KB |
The police suspect that two rhino horns, allegedly found at the Windhoek house of religious preacher Jackson Babi, had been kept in a refrigerator before Babi handed the horns and a firearm over to a police officer two weeks ago.
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NAM_2020-06_Rhino horns in preachers fridge_The Namibian.pdf | 487.64 KB |
Pastoor Jackson Babi (30) van die House of Joy Ministries het Maandag in die landdroshof op Gobabis op nóg 'n klag van renosterstropery verskyn. Dit volg nadat die selfverklaarde profeet verbind word met 'n sindikaat van minstens agt beskuldigdes wat glo verantwoordelik is vir die stropery van vier renosters op twee verskillende plase in die Gobabis-distrik.
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NAM_2020-06_Pastoor in Gobabis_hof oor renosterstropery_Republikein.pdf | 301.38 KB |
NAM_2020-06_Pastor in Gobabis court on rhino poaching_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 204.76 KB |
Serious crimes are being committed in Namibia - crimes against our precious wildlife, our natural heritage and, ultimately, our people. The criminal syndicates behind poaching are highly organised, professional and very clever. They are growing rich by stealing Namibia’s natural heritage, using poor Namibians to do their dirty work for them in return for less than 10% of the product’s market value. Those poaching on the ground thus bear all the risks associated with illegal activities, yet see precious little of the profit.
Der selbsternannte Prophet Jackson Babi, der des illegalen Besitzes von zwei Rhinozeros-Hörner angeklagt ist, wird bis auf weiteres in Haft bleiben, nachdem sein Prozess gestern am Magistratsgericht in Gobabis auf den 15. September vertagt wurde.
Self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi, who is accused of illegally possessing two rhinoceros horns, will remain in custody until his trial commences at the Gobabis magistrate's court on September 15.
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NAM_2020-06_Prophet bleibt in Untersuchungshaft_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 313.46 KB |
NAM_20202-06_Prophet remains in custody_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 310.2 KB |
An urgent application by self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi to, amongst others, review and set aside his arrest in connection with rhino poaching was withdrawn yesterday. The High Court application was filed by his lawyer Kadhila Amoomo on 4 June. However, Magistrate Linus Samunzala last week ordered Babi to be transferred to the Gobabis Magistrate's Court to appear on a charge of hunting specially protected game.
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NAM_2020-06_Babi withdraws urgent High Court application_Namibian Sun.pdf | 327.08 KB |
Flamboyant preacher Jackson Babi yesterday withdrew an urgent application that his lawyer Kadhila Amoomo had filed in the High Court last week to have his arrest and the search at his house declared as unlawful.
Just as Judge Harald Geier was ready to hear evidence, Amoomo filed the request to withdraw the matter and offered costs to the lawyers of the prosecutor general, the inspector general of the Namibian Police and the magistrate of the district of Gobabis, who had indicated that they would oppose the application.
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NAM_2020-06_Preacher withdraws urgent application_New Era.pdf | 319.77 KB |
Ten wildlife products were seized, which included six rhino horns, two elephant tusks and two giraffe carcasses. A total of seven new wildlife crimes were reported recently, while 16 suspects were arrested. Eleven of the suspects were arrested in connection with rhino poaching and/or trafficking cases, while two others were arrested for elephant poaching and/or trafficking.
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NAM_2020-06_16 arrested for wildlife crimes_Namibian Sun.pdf | 198.26 KB |
Religious preacher Jackson Babi, who is facing criminal charges after rhino horns were allegedly discovered in his house in Windhoek, is claiming the police's search of his home and also his second arrest last week were unlawful.
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NAM_2020-06_Preacher questions rhino poaching arrest_The Namibian.pdf | 555.74 KB |
Ses Namibiese mans is verlede Woensdag in die Okahandja-landdroshof vir die sameswering om 'n renoster te stroop en die oortreding van die wet op vuurwapens en ammunisie gevonnis.
Six Namibian men were sentenced on Wednesday in Okahandja Magistrate's Court for conspiring to poach a rhino and violating the firearms and ammunition law.
Local so-called prophet Jackson Babi and his co-accused Frizans Naululu Dumeni who were due to appear in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court yesterday for a bail application had their criminal case postponed to 24 July for further police investigations. The duo were arrested for illegally possessing two rhino horns and for the possession of a firearm and ammunition without a licence.
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NAM_2020-06_Prophet has rhino case deferred_New Era.pdf | 502.29 KB |
Dehorning is controversial, especially as it makes male rhinos vulnerable in fights. But they are not essential for survival, and, like fingernails, they grow back.
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SA_2020-06_South Africa dehorns rhinos to curb poaching surge_trtworld.pdf | 444.57 KB |
According to a police report compiled after his death, Brighton Munkombwe, 30, of Douglasdale in Bulawayo, collapsed at the entrance of the police charge offce last Friday. He was arrested after he was found with three kilogrammes of the deadly cyanide granules in a bag when he was cornered by an anti-poaching reaction team of police and rangers. The reaction team had received a tip-off that Munkombwe wanted to buy ivory from some villagers and laid an ambush in Gwayi. Four villagers who Munkombwe was suspected to have been trading with…
Diligent detective work by the Protected Resources Division (PRD) of the Namibian Police, led to more poaching charges being registered against Prophet Jackson Babi. The prophet is currently in police custody on poaching charges that stem from an arrest last week at his home in the Kleine Kuppe neighbourhood of Windhoek. Babi, along with Frizans Naululu Dumeni, Alberto Mbwale and Joseph Matheus, were all taken into custody when they were found in possession of two rhinoceros horns last Tuesday evening.
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NAM_2020-06_Poaching charges piling up against prophet_Informante.pdf | 319.59 KB |
The Ministry and the UNDP said biodiversity is especially significant to Namibia with about 70% of people depending on natural resources based productive systems for survival. "Even though many livelihoods depend on the environment, more needs to be done to safeguard and foster its ability to sustain livelihoods," they said. According to the two, poaching is one of the biggest threats to the country’s natural environment as it threatens the population of our iconic wildlife species such as elephants and rhinos.
Prophet Babi und Mitbeschuldigte Teil eines größeren Wilderei-Syndikats. Kurz bevor der aufsehenerregende "Prophet Babi" und der mitbeschuldigte Dumeni dem Haftrichter vorgeführt werden, werden neue Wilderei-Fälle bekannt, in die Babi ebenfalls verstrickt sein soll. Die Kaution wird ihm verweigert und am Montag muss er wieder vor den Kadi.
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NAM_2020-06_Wilderern wird Kaution verweigert_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 498.6 KB |
NAM_2020-06_Poachers are denied bail_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 405.98 KB |
Followers of self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi yesterday formed a human shield around him during his latest appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court. Babi (30) left the court surrounded by his supporters, who pushed reporters away and grabbed cameras to prevent photos being taken of him. Although the matter was set down for a bail application yesterday, the defence decided to apply for bail at a later stage.
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NAM_2020-06_Groupies form human shield around_Namibian Sun.pdf | 291.88 KB |
Net voor die vermeende renosterstropers, pastoor Jackson Babi (30) en die 25-jarige mnr. Frizans Dumeni, gisteroggend in die Windhoek-landdroshof vir hul borgtogaansoek verskyn het, het 'n boer laat weet nóg twee witrenosterkarkasse is op 'n plaas in die Gobabis-distrik gevind.
The report, which is jointly compiled by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism's intelligence and investigations unit and the protected resources division of the Namibian Police, detailed that the seven cases saw the arrest of 16 suspects. All those apprehended are Namibian nationals. Of those arrested, 11 were in connection with rhino poaching or trafficking, two in connection with elephant poaching or trafficking, two for the hunting of giraffe, and one for contravening the Arms and Ammunition Act. Among the wildlife products seized were six rhino…
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NAM_2020-06_16 Namibians nabbed for Wildlife crime_The Namibian.pdf | 636.08 KB |
The former head of the global convention on international wildlife trade says that current rules surrounding legitimate enterprise “don’t cut it” to prevent future pandemics and that wildlife crime should be confronted with the same international legal force that tackles human trafficking and terrorism. John Scanlon served as Secretary-General of the Secretariat overseeing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) from 2010 until 2018. CITES is affiliated with the United Nations Environment Programme…
Die selfverklaarde profeet, pastoor Jackson Babi (30), bly in aanhouding en moet boonop volgende Maandag in die Gobabis-landdroshof op 'n klag van renosterstropery verskyn. Babi het vanoggend saam met sy medebeskuldigde, mnr. Frizans Dumeni, verskyn, maar hul borgtogaansoek het 'n wending geneem toe staatsaanklaer Rowan van Wyk gesê het dat Babi op Maandag 8 Junie in die Gobabis-landdroshof op 'n klag van die onwettige jag van spesiaal beskermde wild ('n renoster) moet verskyn.
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NAM_2020-06_Geen borgtog vir Babi en kie_Republikein.pdf | 219.48 KB |
NAM_2020-06_No bail for Babi and Co_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 219.02 KB |
The Hanoi People’s Court sentenced a man to five years in prison on Monday for trafficking rhino horns from Angola to Vietnam. Nguyen Van Pho, 31, was charged with "illegally transporting rare and endangered animals" after arriving in Noi Bai International Airport from Bangkok on November 7, 2019, with the horns. When airport security personnel checked his baggage, they found a package wrapped in tin foil with two black rhino horns which weighed 1.9kg inside.
A Windhoek-based preacher who was last week arrested after two rhino horns were allegedly found at his house is due to apply for bail in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court tomorrow.
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NAM_2020-06_Preacher gets date for bail hearing_The Namibian.pdf | 682.96 KB |
Altesaam elf verdagtes is verlede week in verband met renosterstropery of -horingsmokkelary vasgetrek.
A total of eleven suspects were arrested in connection with rhino poaching or horn smuggling last week.
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NAM_2020-06_Elf vas oor renosterstropery_Republikein.pdf | 223.59 KB |
NAM_2020-06_Eleven arrested for rhino poaching_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 222.85 KB |