The suspects, whose total number was not given by the Police, are expected to appear in court at Oshakati today.

According to Rovisa Shikodhi, Councillor for the Ompundja Constituency from where some of the arrested villagers come, said the poached animals recently escaped from the Etosha Game Park.

The Councillor said the hartebeest, a large antelope with a long head and a sloping back, were allegedly shot by the villagers when they were spotted close to their villages.

The villagers are being detained at the Oshakati Police station. More arrests are expected to be made this week.

"People want game meat and they will definitely shoot and kill the animals to get meat," one villager said.

Councillor Shikodhi appealed to villagers not to kill wild animals, saying they were protected by law.

"These are our animals and we have to treat them as our friends. Children also want to see how different wild animals look and we have to let them graze (near our villages) and not kill them," Shikodhi said.

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