Six caught with rhino hornsPoachers who struck at the world-famous Erindi Game Reserve in northern Namibia last week were arrested within two days. Poaching seems to be escalating Six men were arrested in two separate rhino poaching incidents last week. On Friday, following a two-day manhunt, police arrested four men linked to the killing of a black rhino at the Erindi Game Reserve on Thursday.
Following their first court appearance yesterday on charges of illegal hunting of special and protected game, and possession of firearms and ammunition without licences, their case was postponed to 30 November. The men remain behind bars.
One of the accused, Franco Mapulanga Liswaniso, is Namibian, while David Chihinga Kalwizi and Ndala Mukisi are reportedly Zambian nationals. The third accused, Brain Mandjolo, is reportedly an Angolan.
According to police, the investigation continues.
The rhino carcass was discovered by tourists on Thursday. The police launched a manhunt supported by various Nampol units, plus the Erindi-based game security group and two district watches.
Following the arrest of the suspects 27 kilometres south of Otjiwarongo on Friday, police were able to zoom in on a house in Okahandja where they discovered the sawn-off rhino horns. They also discovered a .375 calibre hunting rifle.
Furthermore, police confiscated an AK47, with a silencer and a full magazine, at the camp the poachers had built in the private game reserve.
Other items found at the camp included unlicensed ammunition, bloody axes and knives and used mobile phone recharge vouchers.
This is the second large-scale rhino poaching hit in the Omaruru area, and according to Alexander Steyn, head of the Omaruru District Watch, the trend is worrying.
He added that the poachers’ choice of weapons is an even bigger concern. “We are limited in the type of force we are allowed to use. They have no limits.”
In another incident a former police officer and employee of Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) yesterday appeared in the Rundu Magistrate’s Court together with another suspect after being nabbed with two rhino horns last week.
The former cop, Marshal Haita Nakujwima, and Martin Jerimia Mukuwe are charged with possession of controlled wildlife products.
Both have been remanded in custody and the case was postponed until 20 October.
The two men were caught in Rundu last Thursday when they were trying to sell the rhino horns.
According to Detective Chief Inspector Chrispin Mubebo, members of the public alerted the police to the two men who were allegedly looking for potential buyers for the horns.
Mubebo said when the police arrived the suspects tried to flee on foot.
Their car was searched and the police found two rhino horns hidden in the car.
Mubebo said Nakujwima used to work in the police’s internal investigations department in Windhoek and was also employed at NWR in Windhoek.
It could not be confirmed whether he is still an employee of NWR.
Mubebo said Nakujwima told the police that the bag containing the rhino horns did not belong to him but to a hitch-hiker that he had picked up.
Mubebo said that was highly unlikely as people saw them trying to sell the horns and Nakujwima was unable to identify the alleged hitch-hiker.
He confirmed that the rhino horns in their possession were fresh.
JANA-MARI SMITH and ELLANIE SMIT