Park patrol shoots at visitors
A three-year-old girl is in hospital and her parents have opened a charge of attempted murder against an anti-poaching unit in the Bwabwata National Park.
A Windhoek family has laid a charge of attempted murder after an anti-poaching unit in the Bwabwata National Park fired shots at them, injuring a three-year-old child.
There are conflicting statements from the police and the family about what exactly happened in the park and the seriousness of the girl's head wound.
The police say the child was struck by a shard of glass, while the family claim that a bullet is lodged in her head and that she is fighting for her life.
The Inspector-General of the Namibian Police, Sebastian Ndeitunga, yesterday blamed the incident on poor coordination between officials of the tourism ministry and the anti-poaching unit.
The family of four - Harald Keil (33), his wife Teresa (33), and their two daughters, three-year-old Alexia and two-year-old Caytlin, were on holiday in the Kavango East Region.
On Wednesday afternoon at about 15:00 they returned from a game drive in the park when the shooting occurred.
A few hours later Teresa and her two daughters were airlifted to Windhoek, with Alexia having sustained a head injury in the shooting.
Ndeitunga said the family had entered the park to watch game in the “buffalo area” but that this information was not communicated to the anti-poaching unit.
According to Ndeitunga the anti-poaching unit was following the tracks of suspected poachers when they came across Keil's car.
He said the anti-poaching unit wanted to search the vehicle but Keil failed to stop. That raised suspicion that they could be involved in some type of illegal activity.
Ndeitunga said warning shots were fired, but still the car did not stop. According to the police chief, another shot was fired at one of the car's tyres, but it continued on its say.
The unit then fired shots at the vehicle itself, and glass from one of the windows wounded the little girl. According to Ndeitunga the family eventually stopped at a mobile checkpoint nearby.
“The father panicked when he saw the armed anti-poaching officers because he was not properly briefed about the armed security forces that are protecting our wildlife in the national parks,” Ndeitunga said.
He said there had been no coordination between tourism officials and the anti-poaching unit about the family's presence in the park.
“This is a regrettable and unfortunate incident, but was not done on purpose. There was reasonable suspicion,” Ndeitunga said.
According to Keil they spent about five hours in the park and on their way back came across some armed men - some dressed in civilian clothes and others in military uniforms.
He said they blocked the road and when he stopped about 10 to 15 men with guns surrounded the car.
“They did not answer when I ask 'why am I stopped ' and could not show any identification proving that they were from the NDF when I asked them.
“They ordered us to exit the car very aggressively and gave no explanation why we should exit and started to open the doors of the car.
“I then felt frightened for my family; this was no normal search. I drove off, that is when they started shooting. One bullet hit my three-year-old daughter in the head. She remains critical in ICU for now.”
Ndeitunga could not confirm how many officers were involved or how many shots were fired. The investigation would have to determine that, he said.
Security forces in national parks consist of police as well as NDF members.
Ndeitunga said domestic tourists and foreign visitors should feel safe in national parks and be aware of anti-poaching units operating in the parks. “Proper coordination between the tourism ministry and the unit should be done and information should flow to the unit. They should be told when tourists are coming into parks. We should be informed as we are working together with the tourism ministry.”
Tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta did not want to comment on the incident yesterday.
He said it was being investigated and the director of parks and wildlife had also flown to the area to investigate.
ELLANIE SMIT
There are conflicting statements from the police and the family about what exactly happened in the park and the seriousness of the girl's head wound.
The police say the child was struck by a shard of glass, while the family claim that a bullet is lodged in her head and that she is fighting for her life.
The Inspector-General of the Namibian Police, Sebastian Ndeitunga, yesterday blamed the incident on poor coordination between officials of the tourism ministry and the anti-poaching unit.
The family of four - Harald Keil (33), his wife Teresa (33), and their two daughters, three-year-old Alexia and two-year-old Caytlin, were on holiday in the Kavango East Region.
On Wednesday afternoon at about 15:00 they returned from a game drive in the park when the shooting occurred.
A few hours later Teresa and her two daughters were airlifted to Windhoek, with Alexia having sustained a head injury in the shooting.
Ndeitunga said the family had entered the park to watch game in the “buffalo area” but that this information was not communicated to the anti-poaching unit.
According to Ndeitunga the anti-poaching unit was following the tracks of suspected poachers when they came across Keil's car.
He said the anti-poaching unit wanted to search the vehicle but Keil failed to stop. That raised suspicion that they could be involved in some type of illegal activity.
Ndeitunga said warning shots were fired, but still the car did not stop. According to the police chief, another shot was fired at one of the car's tyres, but it continued on its say.
The unit then fired shots at the vehicle itself, and glass from one of the windows wounded the little girl. According to Ndeitunga the family eventually stopped at a mobile checkpoint nearby.
“The father panicked when he saw the armed anti-poaching officers because he was not properly briefed about the armed security forces that are protecting our wildlife in the national parks,” Ndeitunga said.
He said there had been no coordination between tourism officials and the anti-poaching unit about the family's presence in the park.
“This is a regrettable and unfortunate incident, but was not done on purpose. There was reasonable suspicion,” Ndeitunga said.
According to Keil they spent about five hours in the park and on their way back came across some armed men - some dressed in civilian clothes and others in military uniforms.
He said they blocked the road and when he stopped about 10 to 15 men with guns surrounded the car.
“They did not answer when I ask 'why am I stopped ' and could not show any identification proving that they were from the NDF when I asked them.
“They ordered us to exit the car very aggressively and gave no explanation why we should exit and started to open the doors of the car.
“I then felt frightened for my family; this was no normal search. I drove off, that is when they started shooting. One bullet hit my three-year-old daughter in the head. She remains critical in ICU for now.”
Ndeitunga could not confirm how many officers were involved or how many shots were fired. The investigation would have to determine that, he said.
Security forces in national parks consist of police as well as NDF members.
Ndeitunga said domestic tourists and foreign visitors should feel safe in national parks and be aware of anti-poaching units operating in the parks. “Proper coordination between the tourism ministry and the unit should be done and information should flow to the unit. They should be told when tourists are coming into parks. We should be informed as we are working together with the tourism ministry.”
Tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta did not want to comment on the incident yesterday.
He said it was being investigated and the director of parks and wildlife had also flown to the area to investigate.
ELLANIE SMIT
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