The Ministry of Environment's Chief Control Warden for the Northwest, Charles Musialike, told The Namibian that they cannot open a case against the senior Police officer, a Chief Inspector, who was driving the bus.

Mururani is the border gate of the veterinary cordon fence between the northern and southern farming areas, where there are strict controls on the movement of meat products and live animals from the northern communal areas.

Both hippo and elephants are protected species.

According to Musialike, the Mayuni Conservancy from which the meat originated had permission to kill the two animals and the chairperson of the conservancy, Chief Joseph Tembwe Mayuni of the Mashi Traditional Authority, stated in a letter that the meat came from him.

Musialike said Chief Mayuni donated the game meat to the chief of the Namibia Central Intelligence Service (NCIS) in the Caprivi Region.

The meat was from a hippo and an elephant that were killed legally for a Mashi traditional feast held on August 10, he said.

"We cannot open a case against the Police officer because the chief had permission to kill the animals," said Musialike.

He said while investigating the incident, they received a letter from the Mayuni Traditional Authority stating the meat was given to the NCIS boss in the region.

He said all the Ministry could do was to fine the senior Police officer for being in possession of and transporting game meat without permission.

This, however, has yet to be done.

The NCIS official, it transpired, asked the Police officers to take the meat across the veterinary fence.

Police officers at Mururani said they could not arrest a senior officer, claiming their regulations prohibited them from doing that.

Last week, a game ranger at Mangetti Game Park, Mathias Kaveto, said they would push for a case to be opened.

The meat was allegedly wrapped and sealed in three plastic refuse bags, while some other parts were kept in a cooler box.

The Police bus carrying the contraband meat passed through two roadblocks at Kongola and Divundu before the illegal consignment was finally discovered and confiscated at Mururani.

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