James.Grage
AH legend
EXTRACT FROM THE FOLLOWING THIRD PARTY SOURCE: The Namibian
A Chinese businessman was sentenced to 10 years in prison or alternatively to pay N$100,000 for the illegal possession of protected wildlife specimen in the Opuwo magistrate court on Monday, 21 December.
Between January and April this year about 77 rhinos were poached in Namibia. NamPol has arrested 75 rhino and elephant poaching suspects since May 2015 in areas surrounding the Etosha National Park and the Bwabwata National Park ©Nampa
The sentence comes after Xu Jin Den, 34, pleaded guilty to a charge of being found in possession of two rhino horns.
Magistrate Leena Iyambo argued that the offence committed by Xu is a serious one and that Namibia is to serve as role model to other countries in the protection of rhinos. Iyambo said that such acts are not good for the tourism sector, as tourists may no longer feel safe in Namibia, which will negatively affect the local tourism industry.
The magistrate noted that poaching is on the increase and it happens at the expense of the Namibian communities.
Frieda Keshi of Dr Weder, Kauta & Hoveka, who was representing the accused, suggested to the court that the fine be paid in installments.
The state, however, objected to the suggestion, maintaining that the accused is not a Namibian national and may abscond.
Xu said he bought the horns from local people in the area of Sesfontein for N$2,500. “I bought the horns to make ornaments,” he told the court. He, however, said that he had no intentions of selling the ornaments that he intended to make out of the horns.
Xu also said that he had no knowledge that a licence were required to purchase rhino horns, and that he was under the impression that those selling the horns to him had a licence to do so.
According to Bernd Brell, the director of special operations at Save the Rhino Trust, who served as a state witness, a rhino horn costs between US$65,000 and US$85,000 on the black market.
Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta recently said that despite a decrease in the number of poaching cases recorded, particularly in the Kunene Region, 17 poaching cases were recorded over the past four months.
In November 2015, Nampa reported that between January and April this year about 77 rhinos were poached in Namibia. NamPol has arrested 75 rhino and elephant poaching suspects since May this year in areas surrounding the Etosha National Park and the Bwabwata National Park.
At a media conference in November, Shifeta said that between January and April 2015, 64 rhinos were killed in the Etosha National Park alone.
Xu is married and is a father of two. He also told the court that he has two shops selling clothes in Oshakati.
A Chinese businessman was sentenced to 10 years in prison or alternatively to pay N$100,000 for the illegal possession of protected wildlife specimen in the Opuwo magistrate court on Monday, 21 December.
Between January and April this year about 77 rhinos were poached in Namibia. NamPol has arrested 75 rhino and elephant poaching suspects since May 2015 in areas surrounding the Etosha National Park and the Bwabwata National Park ©Nampa
The sentence comes after Xu Jin Den, 34, pleaded guilty to a charge of being found in possession of two rhino horns.
Magistrate Leena Iyambo argued that the offence committed by Xu is a serious one and that Namibia is to serve as role model to other countries in the protection of rhinos. Iyambo said that such acts are not good for the tourism sector, as tourists may no longer feel safe in Namibia, which will negatively affect the local tourism industry.
The magistrate noted that poaching is on the increase and it happens at the expense of the Namibian communities.
Frieda Keshi of Dr Weder, Kauta & Hoveka, who was representing the accused, suggested to the court that the fine be paid in installments.
The state, however, objected to the suggestion, maintaining that the accused is not a Namibian national and may abscond.
Xu said he bought the horns from local people in the area of Sesfontein for N$2,500. “I bought the horns to make ornaments,” he told the court. He, however, said that he had no intentions of selling the ornaments that he intended to make out of the horns.
Xu also said that he had no knowledge that a licence were required to purchase rhino horns, and that he was under the impression that those selling the horns to him had a licence to do so.
According to Bernd Brell, the director of special operations at Save the Rhino Trust, who served as a state witness, a rhino horn costs between US$65,000 and US$85,000 on the black market.
Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta recently said that despite a decrease in the number of poaching cases recorded, particularly in the Kunene Region, 17 poaching cases were recorded over the past four months.
In November 2015, Nampa reported that between January and April this year about 77 rhinos were poached in Namibia. NamPol has arrested 75 rhino and elephant poaching suspects since May this year in areas surrounding the Etosha National Park and the Bwabwata National Park.
At a media conference in November, Shifeta said that between January and April 2015, 64 rhinos were killed in the Etosha National Park alone.
Xu is married and is a father of two. He also told the court that he has two shops selling clothes in Oshakati.
