KATIMA MULILO – An administrator from the Zambezi Regional Council’s education directorate was caught red-handed with 16 pieces of ivory in the wee hours of yesterday, conservation authorities said.
A vehicle belonging to the education ministry, with registration number N 58788 W, was used to commit the crime, officials said.
The arrest was confirmed by the Zambezi regional Control Warden Morgan Saisai, who stated that the suspect was arrested when he was trying to trade the ivory at around 02h00am. It is understood that the suspect initially sped off from the police and Ministry of Environment and Tourism officials with the government vehicle.
He was however intercepted after parking the government vehicle and tried to get away in his private sedan. He faces charges of possession of protected animal products and misuse of a government vehicle. The suspect is expected to appear in the Katima Mulilo Magistrate’s Court today.
This is the second time in a week education officials are involved in illegal trading of wildlife, after a teacher Robert Sinkolela (48) and his accomplice Abel Siyauya (40), were last week fined N$40 000 each when they appeared in the Katima Mulilo Magistrate’s Court, after they were arrested on July 6, for possession of a kudu and a blue wildebeest carcases.
The two were caught red-handed skinning the carcases when the police came to arrest them on Saturday at a residence in Mutikitila area.