Shooting of governor’s camel: man is arrested

A camel intended for recreational purposes - belonging to Ohangwena Governor Usko Nghaamwa - was shot with an arrow last week by a villager who found it feeding on his crops.
The confrontation between man and animal on January 21 at Oipapakane in the Ohangwena Region resulted in the arrest of Valendi Kamati on a charge of animal cruelty.
The 21-year-old Kamati appeared at the Ohangwena Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and was eventually released after posting bail of N$500.
Ohangwena police spokesperson Sergeant Kaume Iitumba confirmed the arrest and accused Kamati of “shooting at the camel for no valid reason”
Speaking to Namibian Sun yesterday, an irate Nghaamwa said he is still deeply saddened by the incident, as there was no justifiable reason for Kamati to shoot the desert animal with his arrow.
He claims he first came to discover that his beloved animal was injured when it came running home with an arrow stuck in its sides.
“There is a rule in the law book that prohibits anyone from taking the law into their own hands. Even if someone kills your sibling, you do not have the right to kill that person. Instead you should report the matter to the police and that is exactly what this young man did not do,” Nghaamwa fumed.
According to him, it is a well known fact among the villagers of Oipapakane that the camel belongs to him and if anyone finds it destroying their mahangu fields, the appropriate action is to approach him and resolve the issue.
“He (Kamati) should have come to my house so that we can resolve the dispute either by means of monetary compensation for his losses or if no agreement could be reached, to alternatively open a case against me with the police. He did not have any right to shoot at it,” explained Nghaamwa.
Nghaamwa added that he bought the camel so that the locals could benefit from a community project that will charge tourists and locals a small fee to ride the camel.
He narrated that once not too long ago, while the same camel was lost and eventually found near the Angola/Namibia border, locals – especially children – were very excited to have seen a camel for the first time in their lives.
“A project like the one I intended to start would have really benefited the people because residents of the Ohangwena Region and nearby regions can come see the camel and learners can study the animal and its patterns for educational purposes.”
“This camel is a very big asset to the community and I am bitterly disappointed that someone tried to kill it for no good reason,” he said.