Staff Reporter
CONVICTED poacher, Derick Brockerhoff, who has at least 11 illegal hunting cases still pending against him in various courts across Namibia, has once more been released on bail in the Mariental Magistrate’s Court after Brockerhoff said that he was released on bail in previous cases and never once ran away.
The release on bail comes after Brockerhoff was caught near Kalkrand, alongside two other suspects identified as Immanuel Goseb (“Naughty Boy”) and Romeo Romens Gereseb, after discarding a hunting rifle and tools used for hunting protected species such as rhinos upon seeing a police car which wished to conduct a stop and search in December 2025.
After spending close to nine months in prison, Brockerhoff and his co-accused, Goseb, have been released once more, with farmers raising fears that their livestock and game are at risk of being plundered once more. Described by agricultural unions as a career criminal, his extensive history of illegal hunting spans several regions, including Windhoek, Swakopmund, Rehoboth and Mariental.
In the Kalkrand matter, the State objected to the granting of bail against Brockerhoff and Goseb, whilst raising no objections against Gereseb. The grounds of objection included the seriousness of the charges, the strength of the State’s case, their propensity to commit similar offences, fear of abscondment and that it would not be in the interest of justice should the applicants be granted bail.
Giving Brockerhoff’s reasons to be admitted on bail, Magistrate Pilty Siseho Mulela said they are Brockerhoff’s ill health, that of his wife, him being the sole provider of his family and for his kids to remain in school.
“Applicant 1 (Brockerhoff) denies guilt on the charges preferred against him by the respondent. In rebutting the ground of a strong case against him, he says the tools that the respondent allege he was found with to conclude he conspired to commit a crime were just tools he uses to beat up the old car. Further, he denies the possibility of absconding as he indicates he has, on all his cases, never absconded or missed court as such he has no intention to abscond on this matter,” the magistrate read.
Providing reasons for the granting of bail to applicant two, Goseb, are that he is a provider for his girlfriends, kids and assists his aunt with her livestock.
Goseb also denied guilt on the charges preferred by the respondent. He does not deny the pending cases against him but denies intentionally absconding court in Gobabis as the warrant of apprehension issued against him was because of him being incarcerated in Kalkrand on this matter.
FREE BIRD: Derick Brockerhoff. Photo: NBC Digital News
