Suspected poacher shot dead

A suspected poacher and a dog were shot and killed on Wednesday afternoon at Farm Otukaruno in the Okahandja district. The Otjozondjupa Region police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Maureen Mbeha, confirmed the incident yesterday, saying a case of murder had been opened at the Okahandja police station. Mbeha said the deceased and three other alleged poachers were spotted by the son of the farm owner, busy skinning a kudu they had just killed. “It is alleged that the son then fired a shot from a hunting rifle in the poachers’ direction, and one of them was hit in the back and died on the spot,” she said, adding that a dog was also killed. The three other suspects fled into the thick bush with their hunting dogs. The half-skinned kudu, four assegais (spears), a panga and one knife were found at the crime scene. Farm Otukaruno is a private farm, situated 25km east of Okahandja on the Hochfeld road. Preliminary police investigations indicate that the suspected poachers had come from neighbouring farms and were hunting with dogs and assegais. The police have arrested the 43-year-old shooter, and he is expected to appear in the Okahandja Magistrate’s Court on Friday. Mbeha said the 74-year-old farm owner, who lives in Windhoek, yesterday opened a case of illegal hunting on his farm. The police are calling on community members in the vicinity of Farm Otukaruno who are missing a male relative to approach the Okahandja police station. Police investigations into the matter continue. NAMPA