Hertta-Maria Amutenja
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has identified its employee Otto Jan Uirab as the suspect in the poaching incident that occurred last week.
He is charged alongside Nedbank employee, Harold Xarageb, and two other suspects Gaeb Franklin and Veldskoendraer Neely. The suspects were arrested on suspicion of illegally hunting a blue wildebeest in the Dan Viljoen Park near Windhoek last week. They have since appeared in the Katutura Magistrate’s court.
A case has been opened with the Otjomuise Police station and the suspects were remanded in custody until the May 2023.
The suspects were arrested at the police roadblock, west of Windhoek, leading to the game park.
Uirab was stationed at the Park as an assistant game ranger for the environment ministry and the other suspects were arrested with the carcass of the wildebeest in the boot of their sedan vehicle.
Ministry Spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, in an interview with the Windhoek Observer said it is their responsibility to ensure the preservation and wise use of wildlife resources for the benefit of both present and future Namibian citizens.
“The staff members of the Ministry are important and crucial in the quest to achieve our strategic objective and mandate. Therefore, we always encourage the Ministry’s staff to observe high moral grounds and reject temptations like participating in illegal activities that contravene our values and principles as an institution.
We are positive that the law will take its course and justice must prevail in this case,” he added.
