NGOMA – Environment and Tourism game wardens late on Wednesday night arrested three men suspected of poaching in Salambala.
The three suspects who were armed with an AK-47 rifle were detained deep in the core conservation area of Salambala. They were reportedly travelling in the official vehicle of the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Dr Albert Kawana.
One of the men arrested is said to be the driver of Kawana.
Although no animal was found in their possession the three were charged with poaching.
It is alleged an AK-47 with a number of rounds of ammunition, a pistol, a small rifle and a hand-held spotlight were confiscated by a team of alert environment wardens who trailed the trio.
The small rifle is said to have been carried without a licence.
It was not clear whether the machine-gun and a pistol are part of state-issued weapons carried as part of Kawana’s security.
The charge sheet at the police station seen by this reporter lists possession of a machine-gun as one of the charges.
The Ngoma police could not provide clarity and referred this reporter to environment officials but the enquiry proved futile as phones rang unanswered.
Barely two days ago, a game guard was shot and injured in the same conservancy after he arrested a lone poacher who slaughtered a zebra.
According to Bornface Saisai, the manager for Salambala conservancy, the three men were spotted at one of the core areas of the conservancy between Mutikitila and Ioma while driving suspiciously.
“We saw a vehicle, GRN 4540 in the core area of the conservancy at Chizuma. It was around 10pm and it was clear that they were trying to poach animals. When we approached them, they did not resist and admitted that indeed they were poaching. We found an AK-47 and four magazines, one pistol, one small rifle and a spotlight,” said Saisai.
The police, although confirming the arrest, prevented a New Era journalist from taking photos of the vehicle and the seized weapons.
Approached for comment, the police regional commander, Borniface Mukendwa, who was reluctant to divulge information on the matter, stated that he had also only heard about it and that investigations were underway.
“I just heard about it. I don’t know whether it’s true. The whole matter is still under investigation,” said Mukendwa.
A well-placed source noted that it is likely that the two weapons, the machine-gun and pistol are issued by the state as part of protection arrangements.
He questioned whether environment officials acted appropriately by arresting people who were not found with any animal.
“Those people act as security, so it’s possible for them to carry even two weapons. These conservancies are located among the community; they are not like national parks that are restricted. What if they were going from one village to the other and those villages are in a conservancy? They should have waited and until they caught them red-handed,” said the source.
However Saisai once again bemoaned the escalation of poaching in the area noting that it has become worse because both locals and foreign nationals are involved.
“Even high ranking officials in this region engage in this activity in addition to foreign poachers especially from Zambia. This is very worrying,” stated Saisai.
He further noted that the limited number of game guards is adversely affecting operations in the vast conservancy, which is home to thousands of animals. About 17 incidents of poaching have been reported in the Salambala conservancy from last year. This is the 34 fourth arrest involving poaching.
Kawana could not be reached for comment by the time of going to print
The three were identified as Jonathan Kani (age unknown), Malambo Mazila (38) and Leonard Machili (34). They appeared in the Katima Mulilo Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of possession of a machine-gun, possession of a firearm without a licence, hunting on state land and hunting by making use of artificial light without permission. They were each granted bail of N$2 500 and their case remanded to November 10 2014.
Meanwhile, the lone poacher identified as 27-year-old Boysen Kabula, who is suspected of having shot and injured a game guard last weekend, was remanded in custody when it was discovered he had a pending case for negligent discharge of a firearm for which a warrant of arrest was issued.
His case was postponed to March 25, 2015.
K Muyeghu presided over the case while Jatiel Mudamburi appeared for the State.