Eight suspects have been arrested for possessing controlled wildlife products between 27 July and 2 August 2020. 

This is according to the weekly wildlife crime report for this period issued by the environment ministry, which said the suspects were arrested for allegedly possessing lion and leopard skins and a live pangolin, respectively. 

It said Cleophas Kamburona and Stephen Ngairo (ages not disclosed) were arrested on 27 July 2020 in Windhoek after they were allegedly found in possession of a live pangolin and were charged with contravening the Controlled Wildlife Products Act of 2008 by the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on 28 July 2020. 

An accomplice, John Taukondjo was arrested on 28 July and was charged for resisting arrest and defeating the course of justice. 

On 1 August, four men were arrested in Windhoek for allegedly possessing three leopard skins. 

The report said Sageus Asino, Martin Uupindi, Inocke Ndjake and Sirongo Daniel (ages not disclosed) appeared in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court on Monday and were charged with contravening the Controlled Wildlife Products Act of 2008. 

Equally, a man from Katima Mulilo in the Zambezi region, Kudumu Namukuka (age not disclosed), was arrested on 28 July after allegedly being found with one lion skin. He appeared in the Katima Mulilo Magistrate’s Court on 29 July charged with contravening the Controlled Wildlife Products Act of 2008. 

“For all the cases registered, the arrests or seizures were made by a combination of law enforcement agencies – the Namibian Police Force, Namibian Defence Force, Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism and private agencies,” it noted.  – Nampa