Africa-Press – Namibia. THREE Namibians and two Zambians were arrested last week in Zambia for allegedly stealing 30 head of cattle from Namibia.
Zambezi crimes investigations coordinator deputy commissioner Evans Simasiku confirmed the arrest to The Namibian yesterday. Simasiku said the five suspects were arrested after they were found moving with a big herd of suspected stolen cattle in Kazungula district in the Southern Province of Zambia.
He said the cattle were stolen from the Zambezi region and a joint investigation will be carried out before the case proceeds. “We are going to do a joint investigation with the Zambian authorities and we are busy preparing some officers that will be part of the joint investigation,” said Simasiku regarding the case.
He said two detectives will be dispatched to Zambia this week and they will be accompanied by eight complainants. Simasiku could not confirm if the Namibian trio has appeared in court, saying his office is still communicating with the Zambian authorities.
According to Simasiku, livestock owners have started coming to identify their animals and one of them has managed to identify five of his stolen cattle.
Zambian media, Prime Television, reported the arrest of the five men – three Namibians and two Zambians – in Ngenga village of Kazungula district of the Southern Province after they were found moving a herd cattle suspected to have been stolen from Namibia.
It is alleged that the animals were being escorted at a loading bay at Mwenze Matangi for slaughtering at Livingstone, Zambia. However, when the suspects reached Ngenga village, people got suspicious how the animals could have been moved to Livingstone despite the livestock movement ban effected by the government to curb the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.
According to the report, the villagers then demanded to see the stock movement permit of the livestock and discovered that the details on the permit were contrary to the number of animals and brand marks of the animals the group was escorting.
The permit indicated that 18 animals were supposed to be moved with a brand mark of ACH but the men had 30 head of cattle with an alternation of a Namibian stock brand.
Simasiku warned farmers in the area to be vigilant with this kind of cattle rustlers, saying some of them come under the pretense of buying cattle but during the process they drive the animals away and take with them any oxen they find.
He advised farmers to keep track of the whereabouts of their animals whenever they are grazing and inspect their animals often and not only depend on information received from cattle herders. He also urged farmers along the Zambezi River to work together.
“I am encouraging farmers along the Zambezi River to work together to fight this cross-border crime of illegally trading animals,” Simasiku said.
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