Hired car used in poaching, stock theft

Hermanus Kharugab (46), who is already facing a charge of attempted murder and illegal hunting, was arrested again last Friday in Okahandja for illegal hunting.

Numerous cases in Witvlei, Gobabis, Windhoek and Omaruru have apparently also been filed against his accomplice, Ashley Eiseb - who was arrested alongside him.

Kharugab allegedly shot a kudu near Wilhelmstal in December 2022.

"We chased him. We were still in the vehicle when he jumped out and started shooting at us. We made a case of attempted murder and illegal hunting against him," a member of an anti-poaching unit said.

He has reportedly been on Kharugab's trail for the past six years.

"We confiscated all three of his vehicles and had him locked up, but he comes out on bail again and again."

Hired car

The two suspects were caught in the early hours of Friday morning with five goats in their possession which had been poached.

The men also poached two kudus, two waterbucks and a gemsbok worth N$35 000 in the Khomas Region.

According to a Namibian Police crime report, they drove the M53 dirt road from Kappsfarm to the D2102 dirt road, and through Midgard Lodge to Okahandja. They apparently shot the animals next to the road.

Kharugab and Eiseb hired a vehicle to commit the crime.

The owner tracked the vehicle's movements on a tracking device, and realised that it was travelling in the opposite direction to Kamanjab, for which it had initially been hired.

He contacted the police and the suspects were arrested in Okahandja.

Habitual criminals

The police seized the carcasses, the vehicle and a firearm without a visible serial number.

Kharugab and Eiseb have already appeared in court and were found guilty. Their sentencing is set to take place this Friday.

"We are now collecting all their outstanding old cases so that we can prove that they are habitual criminals and poachers and not first-time offenders,” a source said.

“So far, we have five complaints against Eiseb and two against Kharugab, but there are more."

Other incidents

In unrelated news, a man reportedly illegally slaughtered and sold 25 cattle worth N$237 500 and five goats worth N$12 500 from Farm Ehafo in the Oshikoto Region.

The owner noticed that his animals were disappearing and confronted the suspect.

The suspect claimed he did not know anything about the animals' disappearance, but fled shortly afterwards. No one has been arrested yet.

Last Friday, one bull and one heifer worth N$41 000 were poached between the Otjongombe and Bulscop settlements in the Otjozondjupa Region. The suspects stole the animals from a camp and slaughtered them in a second location. The suspects are known to the police, but have not yet been arrested.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, two cows worth N$18 000 were poached on Farm Davetsaub in the Karibib district’s Otjimbingwe area. The suspects flattened a fence and the cows crossed over to a neighbouring farm. The suspects then slaughtered the animals and loaded the meat into two vehicles. No one has been arrested yet.

Furthermore, on Saturday, two men aged 20 and 26 were arrested. They allegedly slaughtered two sheep worth N$5 000. At around 02:00 at the Claasen Camp on the Okombahe resettlement farm, they cut a fence to gain access to the animals.