The poaching of four elephants in a national park in the Zambezi region more than three years ago has landed three men with prison terms ranging from nearly five years to almost eight years.
The three men – former police officer Sustagan Mutanilushu Machana, Max Bumai Lunyazo, and Sitali Siluka – were sent to prison when they were sentenced in the Katima Mulilo Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday last week. Magistrate Karel Muyeghu sentenced Machana to an effective seven years and nine months behind bars, Lunyazo got four years and 10 months, and Siluka earned himself four years and seven months in prison.
Machana and Lunyazo are Namibian citizens, while Siluka is Zambian.
Each of the three men was found guilty on six charges in connection with the poaching of four elephants in the Mudumu National Park in Zambezi on 25 September 2013.
After the killing of the four elephants, eight tusks that had been removed from the poached animals were found in possession of Machana, Lunyazo and Siluka.
Lunyazo and Siluka were cattle herdsmen in Machana’s employ at the time of their arrest, and they accompanied him when he went on an illegal elephant hunt in the national park.
Each of them was found guilty on four counts of hunting of specially protected game, one count of possession of elephant tusks, and a charge of possession of a firearm without a licence.
Machana was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment on each of the poaching charges, an additional prison term of 12 months for possession of elephant tusks, and a further nine months’ imprisonment for the illegal possession of a .375 rifle.
Lunyazo and Siluka were each sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, of which eight months were suspended for a period of four years, on each of the poaching charges.
Lunyazo also received a jail term of 12 months for the illegal possession of elephant tusks, and six months in prison for the possession of a shotgun without a licence.
The magistrate sentenced Siluka to nine months’ imprisonment for the illegal possession of elephant tusks, and a jail term of six months on a charge of possession of a firearm without a licence.
The three men were also declared unfit to possess a firearm for two years after their release from prison, and the rifle and shotgun found in their possession were forfeited to the state.
Machana, Lunyazo and Siluka were initially charged with five co-accused. One of the co-accused escaped from custody before the start of their trial, while four of the other accused were found not guilty.
Diana Khama conducted the prosecution during the trial. Machana, Lunyazo and Siluka stood trial without legal representation.
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