- Authorities confirm prevalence of poaching involving public servants in Ngamiland
- They illegally hunt whilst on duty using government vehicles
- District Commissioner reportedly ordered for punitive measures to be taken against the culprits
- Seven employees of DWS in Maun recently arrested for possession of game meat
- ‘Arrests a tip of an iceberg’
- Officers said to poach for commercial purpose, with less for consumption
Wildlife authorities in Ngamiland have expressed concern over the alarming involvement of public servants in poaching activities in the region. The illegal hunting by these officers is said to mostly occur while they are on official duty in areas with abundance of wild animals and while using government vehicles.
This worrying surge has reportedly reached the District Commissioner’s office who is said to have early this year summoned some heads of departments to express his concern. While the office is yet to confirm the reports, information reaching this publication is that the DC ordered for punitive measures to be taken against the culprits.
Of recent, seven employees of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) based in Maun were arrested for possession of game meat.
Acting Regional Wildlife Officer Dr Wave Kashweka has confirmed the incident, revealing that the suspects were all arrested in Maun following a tip off. This publication can confirm that some of the officers involved are drivers at DWS and the poaching incident occurred in Xaxaba where they were reportedly on an official trip.
According to Dr Kasweka, the suspects poached 3 impalas, 2 Tsessebe, 4 reedbucks, 1 wildebeest, and 1 buffalo using a government registered vehicle.
“4 carcasses were found in the vehicle and the other game meat was found at their homestead already cut into pieces,” revealed the senior veterinary officer.
The case is with the Botswana Police Service, with two suspects having been charged with hunting without a license contrary to Section 19 of the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act – WCNP Act). The seven suspects, including the two officers mentioned above were also charged with unlawful possession of game trophy (Sec 71 sub section 3of WCNP Act).
Kasweka also confirmed the prevalence of poaching involving government employees in the region, noting that they always make arrests following tip-offs or during their routine patrols and doing stop and search.
Another previous notable case is that of three employees of Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) who were caught red handed by foreign nationals poaching whilst on a trip at Hainaveld farms near Maun. The government vehicle they were using was found loaded with 11 dead guinea fowls, three antelopes and a gun.
Kashweka revealed that since last year they have registered five cases implicating public servants. This number could just be the tip of the iceberg, as Kashweka noted that some of the cases are not detected as they do not always receive tip offs.
Though he could not reveal who are mostly involved, this publication understands that it is usually the drivers while they are on official trips or sometimes sneaking out of office leaving their supervisors behind to go an engage in illegal hunting.
In a recent murder case ongoing before court involving two government drivers, one of them has claimed the incident occurred during working hours when they had gone to hunt guinea fowls using a government vehicle.
Meanwhile, Dr Kashweka revealed that most of the targeted animals are buffalo and impala, and they are hunted for commercial purpose whilst a smaller number is for consumption.
