Staff Reporter
THE Inspector General of the Namibian Police (Nampol), Joseph Shikongo, said that crime in the country is generally manageable, but stock theft cases are becoming a serious matter of concern.
Shikongo said this during an official engagement with farmers in Omitara in the Omaheke Region. This engagement aimed to provide a platform for the discussion of key matters affecting the farming community in the country.
According to Shikongo, the Omaheke Region was one of the regions that was most affected by stock theft between January and October of this year. During this period, he revealed, the police recorded 225 stock theft cases in the Omaheke Region, 74 cases in the Khomas Region and 451 cases in the Otjozondjupa Region.
“This represents a slight decrease from the cases recorded during January and December 2021, with Khomas having 77 cases, whereas Omaheke had 260 cases, while 488 were recorded in Otjozondjupa,” he said.
Despite the slight decrease, Shikongo made it clear that stock theft still remains one of the most prevalent crimes in the country, along with gender-based violence (GBV), rape and robberies. He therefore advised farmers to adopt safety measures to curb incidents of stock theft.
Shikongo highlighted the marking and branding of livestock as one of these key measures, adding that it should be done in accordance with the Stock Brands Act (24 of 1995). He emphasised that marking and branding livestock is essential to avoid ownership disputes during the investigation process.
Shikongo also advised farmers to keep proper records of their employees as they might be suspects or witnesses of stock theft incidents. He also encouraged farmers to make use of the Namibia Livestock Identification and Traceability System (NAMLITS) to register and de-register livestock for proper control and management.
Besides this, he advised farmers to come up with new initiatives and to make use of technology such as cameras, radios and drones to keep their livestock safe.
