Bloody few days for our wildlife

Bloody few days for our wildlife Elephant and rhino poached, poachers arrested In what marks a bloody few days for Namibia''s wildlife, authorities have scored some major successes with busts and arrests. Another Chinese national was arrested on Friday morning at the Kapps Farm roadblock on his way to the Hosea Kutako National Airport, this time for being in possession of US$33 500 (roughly N$469 000) and also for attempting to bribe a police officer.

The incident occurred at around 10:00 on Friday morning when two Chinese men tried to pass through the roadblock and the car they were travelling in was searched by the police.

Several suitcases were found in the back of the vehicle and inside U$33 500 was found wrapped and sealed in biscuit packs, sealed in the luggage.

The driver of the vehicle who is also a Chinese national, explained that he knew nothing about what was in the luggage and that he had only given his friend a lift to the airport who was flying to Taiwan to visit friends and family.

According to the driver who did not want to divulge his name, he had picked his friend up at his house. He says that the friend is currently living and working in Namibia.

The suspect also attempted to bribe one of the sergeants who was questioning him with the amount of N$4 200.

The case is being investigated.

Meanwhile the two Chinese nationals who were arrested last week for illegal possession of ivory pieces hidden in tins at the same roadblock were denied bail in the Windhoek Magistrate''s court Friday.

Zhang Ruhe, 60, and Xinxi Xue, 47, are charged with contravening the Controlled Wildlife Products and Trade Act no 9, the unlawful export of any controlled wildlife product.

According to Nampa the State, represented by senior public prosecutor Hans Tourob, strongly objected to the granting of bail citing the seriousness and complexity of the charges the two foreigners each face, as well as that police investigations into the matter are at an initial stage.

The foreigners'' privately instructed defence lawyer, Uno Katjipuka informed the court she will bring an urgent formal bail application next week.

Their case was postponed until 24 February next year, pending further police investigation.

The two were employed as construction workers at a Chinese-owned construction company in Windhoek prior to their arrest.

In another incident six poachers were arrested in the Etosha National Park last week Wednesday.

Unfortunately one rhino was wounded in the limb by the criminals.

Confirming the arrest spokesperson for the environment ministry Romeo Muyunda said that although veterinarians of the ministry treated the animal, it had to be put down due the severity of its injuries.

Muyunda said that the operation which lead to the arrests was a combined effort by the Namibian police and staff of the environment ministry and also stressed that the MET helicopter played a big role in the operations.

In a another incident two elephants were on Tuesday shot and killed in the Buffalo area of Divundu in the Kavango East Region by suspected poachers, while poachers were prevented in removing the elephants tusks.

Another elephant was also shot and killed on Wednesday at Omega in the Mukwe Constituency.

The animal was shot between Golden Road and the Trans-Caprivi Highway on the northern side of the Buffalo area.

It is suspected three poachers were involved in removing the elephant''s tusk.



ELLANIE SMIT