ONGWEDIVA – A 46-year-old man was arrested last week Thursday and charged with dealing with protected game after attempting to smuggle two pangolins into Namibia through the Oshikango border.
Ohangwena police spokesperson Abner Kuume Itumba said the suspect allegedly gave the two bags containing the pangolins to a woman to carry for him while he cleared his papers at immigration to get entry into Namibia. The suspect reportedly followed the woman from a distance and looked on to see whether the authorities would search the bags she was carrying. When the woman allegedly approached the authorities, the bags were searched and she was found with two pangolins.
The suspect fled and was only arrested later in the day.
Amongst the bags with the pangolins, two national identity documents of both Namibia and Angola were found.
The woman was taken in for questioning, but was later released after it was established that she had no knowledge of the pangolins in her possession. It is a common trend that many young people make money at the border town by assisting those with heavy goods to cross the border.
The suspect was due to appear in court yesterday.