WILDLEX

The accused were charged with the unlawful exportation of controlled wildlife products:14 rhino horns on the first count and a leopard skin on the second count, as well as money laundering on count 3.

The plaintiff who was arrested for theft of 2 zebra skins, spent 32 days in custody awaiting trial. His case was later withdrawn. He then claimed N$277 200.00 from the defendant for wrongfully and maliciously setting the law in motion by laying a false charge against him.

This is an appeal case were the accused was aqutted and the convictions on the three counts of Unlawful Possession of Prescribed Trophy without a certificate of ownership were set aside for lack of proper evidence provided to the court.

The accussed was fined a sum of K5000 or 9 months’ simple imprisonment in default of the fine. To review this matter, the court referred to ss 337 and 338 of the Criminal Procedure Code. This court reasoned that there were two kinds of trophies involved that had been placed under one charge sheet.

In January 2018, military officials of the gendarmerie post of Socambo received reliable information on an ongoing illegal trafficking activity.

The court held that the onus is always on the prosecution to prove the guilt of an accused beyond reasonable doubt. The court held that it is the duty of the trial judicial officer to warn himself of the danger of convicting on the evidence of accomplice witnesses. The court held that the magistrate had failed to make a record of such warning.

In September 2015, MBARGA Robert set traps in the forest that caught one Leopard. He ate the flesh and removed the skin and the skull to sell. He was arrested by the police. Upon arrest, he didn’t have a National Identity Card. After interrogations, he and the seized items, were all transmitted to the State Attorney for prosecution

The accused were charged with hunting in a game reserve, in contravention of the Fauna Conservation Proclamation, 1961; alternatively, that they were hunting without a licence or permit. In their defence, the accused argued that they did not know they were hunting in a game reserve, and that they had the licences necessary to hunt the zebra.

The 6 appellants were convicted, in a magistate court, of unlawful possession of and dealing in elephant ivory and skin and leopard skin in contravention of the Wildlife and National Parks 28 of 1992.

On the 1st August 2011, the Chief of the Border Post of the National Security of Djoum received reliable information that a Mercedes truck matriculated CE 027-CL contains wildlife products specifically elephant ivories. A control team was set up and the said truck was seized and taken to the unit for a detailed search.