Lombaard arrested again
Old case dates back to 2014
The three men were arrested earlier this month in connection with the illegal capture and transport of 28 blue and nine black wildebeest.
Right after wildlife dealer Johan Lombaard was released on bail earlier this week, he was arrested again in connection with a case dating back to 2014.
The 57-year-old appeared in the Gobabis Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for the illegal capture and transport of game to the value of N$817 000.
He and his co-accused, his brother Johannes Jacobus Lombaaard (54) and Rudie Kotze (49), were granted N$50 000 bail each.
The Lombaard brothers established Golden Game, a wildlife farming, capturing and export business in Mariental.
They were arrested alongside Kotze earlier this month in connection with the illegal capture and transport of 28 blue and nine black wildebeest at Farm Reitz in the Leonardville area, with the intent to sell the animals.
The three were charged with illegally transporting game or game meat under the Nature Conservation Ordinance and for selling and purchasing game without a permit.
They were also charged under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act for disguising the nature and description of offence, unlawful origin of property, assisting one another to benefit from proceeds of unlawful activities and for the acquisition, possession or use of proceeds of unlawful activities.
Another charge under the Nature Conservation Ordinance concerns illegally transporting game without a permit, while they were also charged for using a motor vehicle and aircraft when hunting and capturing game without a permit.
Outstanding warrant
The Lombaard brothers and Kotze appeared before Magistrate Eliud Nakulonda, who granted all three bail and postponed the case to 6 February in the Leonardville Magistrate’s Court.
The prosecutor in the case was Marchell Hoeb, while the three suspects were represented by local lawyer Bennie Venter and advocate Louis Botes.
Namibian Sun contacted Venter several times for comment, but his phone went unanswered.
It is understood that more arrests can be expected in this case.
According to environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, Johan was rearrested for a similar case, involving the capture and transport of game dating back to 2014, for which he had an outstanding warrant of arrest.
The case stems from Mariental for fines he apparently did not pay to the ministry. He will therefore have to appear in Mariental for this matter.
“We do not know when he will appear in court,” Muyunda said.
Other issues
About 10 months ago, Namibian Sun reported that the ministry is investigating Johan after he allegedly transported two white rhinos without the necessary paperwork.
Namibian Sun understands the investigation was launched after he was involved in a car accident while transporting a rhino cow and its calf.
Two Land Cruisers with trailers were reportedly carrying the animals when one of the drivers lost control of their vehicle and it rolled. Neither of the rhinos were injured.
This case is still on the court roll and has been postponed until 16 January 2024.
It was also previously reported in 2017 that Lombaard did not have a permit required to transport elephants, which had been captured at a farm in the Grootfontein area, and that his farm had not been approved by the ministry for elephants to be kept there.
The 57-year-old appeared in the Gobabis Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for the illegal capture and transport of game to the value of N$817 000.
He and his co-accused, his brother Johannes Jacobus Lombaaard (54) and Rudie Kotze (49), were granted N$50 000 bail each.
The Lombaard brothers established Golden Game, a wildlife farming, capturing and export business in Mariental.
They were arrested alongside Kotze earlier this month in connection with the illegal capture and transport of 28 blue and nine black wildebeest at Farm Reitz in the Leonardville area, with the intent to sell the animals.
The three were charged with illegally transporting game or game meat under the Nature Conservation Ordinance and for selling and purchasing game without a permit.
They were also charged under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act for disguising the nature and description of offence, unlawful origin of property, assisting one another to benefit from proceeds of unlawful activities and for the acquisition, possession or use of proceeds of unlawful activities.
Another charge under the Nature Conservation Ordinance concerns illegally transporting game without a permit, while they were also charged for using a motor vehicle and aircraft when hunting and capturing game without a permit.
Outstanding warrant
The Lombaard brothers and Kotze appeared before Magistrate Eliud Nakulonda, who granted all three bail and postponed the case to 6 February in the Leonardville Magistrate’s Court.
The prosecutor in the case was Marchell Hoeb, while the three suspects were represented by local lawyer Bennie Venter and advocate Louis Botes.
Namibian Sun contacted Venter several times for comment, but his phone went unanswered.
It is understood that more arrests can be expected in this case.
According to environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, Johan was rearrested for a similar case, involving the capture and transport of game dating back to 2014, for which he had an outstanding warrant of arrest.
The case stems from Mariental for fines he apparently did not pay to the ministry. He will therefore have to appear in Mariental for this matter.
“We do not know when he will appear in court,” Muyunda said.
Other issues
About 10 months ago, Namibian Sun reported that the ministry is investigating Johan after he allegedly transported two white rhinos without the necessary paperwork.
Namibian Sun understands the investigation was launched after he was involved in a car accident while transporting a rhino cow and its calf.
Two Land Cruisers with trailers were reportedly carrying the animals when one of the drivers lost control of their vehicle and it rolled. Neither of the rhinos were injured.
This case is still on the court roll and has been postponed until 16 January 2024.
It was also previously reported in 2017 that Lombaard did not have a permit required to transport elephants, which had been captured at a farm in the Grootfontein area, and that his farm had not been approved by the ministry for elephants to be kept there.
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