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An investigation into a senior Police officer who was driving a bus in which hippo meat and an elephant foot was found at Mururani veterinary checkpoint last month has not yet been completed, a Police spokesperson said.
Sergeant Stephan Nuuyi told The Namibian that if the investigation found evidence that the officer had done wrong, the case would be sent to the Prosecutor General to make a decision.
The case is being investigated by Nampol's Internal Investigation Directorate, formerly known as the Complaints and Discipline Department.
At the end of last month, the Police opened an internal case of possession of controlled game products and transportation of game meat without a permit against the officer.
The officer, who is still on duty, has the rank of Chief Inspector and is based at Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi Region.
Hippo and elephant are both protected species.
A few days after the discovery of the meat, the Ministry of Environment's Chief Control Warden for the North-West, Charles Musialike, said they could not open a case against the officer who was driving the bus.
According to him, the Mayuni Conservancy, where 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, had stated in a letter that the meat came from him.
Musialike said the only thing the Ministry could do was is to fine the officer for transporting game meat without a permit.
The Police bus carrying the contraband passed through two roadblocks at Kongola and Divundu before the meat was discovered and confiscated at Mururani.
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