Day: April 2, 2024

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has recorded a total of 28 rhinos poached since the beginning of the year.

Meanwhile, no case of elephant poaching was recorded.

In a press statement issued on Monday, MEFT spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said 19 of the rhinos were poached in the Etosha National Park of which 10 were discovered during dehorning operations throughout March.

Muyunda, also confirmed recent reports of four white rhino poached on a private farm in the Otjozondjupa Region, bringing the total number of rhinos poached on private farms in the country to five, for the year.

Muyunda said three rhinos were poached at rhino custodianship farms, and one in the Kunene Region bringing the overall total to 28 for the year – consisting of 19 black and nine white rhinos.

‘Poaching in Etosha is particularly concerning because this is our flagship park, having a high concentration of rhino conservation and other high-value species making it a major attraction for tourists,’ he said.

He add
ed that based on the current situation and the urgency, an assessment is being undertaken in Etosha to establish the full extent of the problem.

The ministry, he said remains committed to fighting poaching at all costs to ensure it achieves its obligation of protecting the country’s wildlife to benefit the current and future generations of Namibia.

Muyunda further said that to strengthen interventions and sharpen its strategies moving forward, MEFT has called for an urgent high-level meeting with the security clusters to dissect the matter.

He also called on all stakeholders including members of the public to ‘summon their conscience and patriotism’ and join the ministry in this difficult fight against the poaching of high-value species.

He said no arrests were made in the recent cases so far, but cases were opened and investigations continue.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

WINDHOEK: A 33-year-old male was assaulted to death at a bar in Omulunga Street in Windhoek, Hakahana on Sunday.

The deceased was identified as Immanuel Tukondjele Shimwetheni, a crime report issued by the Namibian Police Force stated.

‘It is alleged that the incident of murder took place at about 23h55. The victim was allegedly assaulted in a bar with an unknown object by two suspects. It was reported that the man fell on a table of alcohol, resulting in the falling of the alcohol, which aroused a confrontation between the deceased and the suspects,’ said the report.

His next of kin were informed, and the two suspects were arrested.

Furthermore, Priscilla Skrywer, a 64-year-old died after she was allegedly stabbed by her nephew with a kitchen knife on her left chest. The incident reportedly took place at Farm Uiseb in the Rehoboth district at about 18h00 on Sunday.

‘It is alleged that the suspect got involved in an argument with his aunt (the victim) resulting in the victim grabbing a piece of firewood
and beating the suspect in the face whereby the suspect retaliated by stabbing the [elderly woman]. The suspect fled the scene and was not yet arrested.

Police investigations continue.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

WINDHOEK: The body of a 29-year-old man was found hanging on Friday from his room’s ceiling at Omaruru’s Ozondje location in the Erongo region.

He was identified as Richard Murotua.

The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) in an incident report recently alleged that the Murotua’s lifeless body was discovered hanging from the roof of his room with an electric cable around his neck.

No suicide note was found and no foul play is suspected.

His next of kin was informed.

In a similar incident, the lifeless body of 27-year-old Leopolo Hambata was discovered hanging from a tree in the Northern Industrial Area in Katutura on Friday.

‘It is alleged that a taxi driver saw a stationary taxi alongside the gravel road and upon closer inspection he realized that the taxi was locked and no one was inside. When he scanned the surroundings, he saw the body of the deceased hanging in a nearby tree,’ said the report.

No foul play is suspected and his next of kin was informed of his death.

Police investigations in both matters
continue.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) in the Oshikoto Region have opened a case of murder against a 25-year-old security guard after he reportedly shot and killed an unknown man with a shotgun.

According to NamPol’s Head of Crime Prevention in the region, Deputy Commissioner Wynand Neels on Tuesday, the incident happened around 00h35 at Onanke village in the Omuntele Constituency.

The deceased is unknown at this stage and his lifeless body was taken to the Omuthiya mortuary for a post-mortem to be conducted. The next of kin were not yet informed.

‘It is alleged that the man was trying to break into the room of a female occupant who is an employee of a mini market, and the occupant woke up and sent a text message to a security guard on duty at the workplace informing him that someone is trying to break into her room,’ reported Neels.

He said the summoned security guard went to the place being broken into and he and the shop employee found the intruder (deceased) hiding in the toilet. When he saw them he tried
to escape and the security guard fired a warning shot to stop him from fleeing, however the intruder continued fleeing.

‘The guard fired a shot in the direction of the fleeing suspect and the bullet struck him on the upper chest and he died on the spot,’ Neels said.

The security guard is arrested and detained at Omuthiya Police Station, while the investigation is still at an early stage.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency