Eight suspects recently busted for crimes related to rhino poaching
Eight suspects were netted over the long easter weekend for crime related to rhino poaching in two separate incidences, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism announced on Thursday.
Two people who were suspected to have illegally entered the Etosha National Park to hunt rhinos were arrested during a mobile roadblock on the Tsumeb/Otavi road on 6 April, ministerial spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda said, adding that two fresh rhino horns were found in their possession and confiscated by the law enforcement agencies led by the blue rhino task team.
The suspects are a Namibian male, Sakaria Johannes, and Tomas Domingos an Angolan male, who appeared in court on Tuesday, 11 April and they were denied bail, with the case moved to 7 July added Muyunda.
“Follow-up investigation, in this case, led to a discovery of a fresh carcass in the Etosha National Park. The investigators also recovered a 375-caliber rifle, a silencer, and 29 live ammunition. Two more old carcasses were discovered in the Etosha National Park believed to have been poached. There is currently no indication linking the 2 old carcasses to the two suspects,” he added.
Muyunda said in another incident on 7 April, two suspects were arrested after they were found in possession of a pair of rhino horns in yet another operation by security forces on the Outjo/Otavi Road.
Further investigation led to the arrest of four anti-poaching security personnel on a private farm in the Outjo District who are suspected to have supplied the horns. The suspects are David Nakare; Makanga Johaness; Matema Thiyemo; Shampampi Ndjunga and Kamanya Joseph Kandjimi, all Namibians,” Muyunda said, adding that investigations in both cases continue.
“The work of the law enforcement agencies involved in these arrests is commendable. We encourage them to continue in the same spirit to ensure that those plundering our resources for their selfish gains are brought to face justice. We reiterate our call to members of the public to reject and condemn poaching in our societies by reporting suspected incidences to the Police or the MEFT,” he concluded.
