Three men who appeared at the Rundu Magistrate's Court for illegal timber harvesting have been denied bail.

The three, John Shininge, Paulus Leevi, and Sebastian Sitwafa, were arrested at Rundu after they were found in possession of 76 timber planks and a processing machine.

The suspects could not provide a permit permitting them to harvest timber.

The case is postponed to July 25.

The Acting Regional Commander of Kavango East Region, Deputy Commissioner Eino Nambahu, informed the nbc News Team that illegal timber harvesting is not common in the region, with this being the first case this year.

"Harvesting is not that common, but the information is that they are doing it behind the authorization power of the concerned ministry, so that means that if these reports are not brought forward by the traditional leaders where this timber is being harvested, then this information may not reach the police. Either the Ministry of Forestry should inform us if there is an incidence of that nature, or, as I said, the traditional authorities are supposed to alert us that there are people that are busy harvesting timber elsewhere, and our intervention will come. It's not that much, but we are aware that somewhere there are those that are cutting illegal timber in the area."
 
Nambahu called on those participating in illegal timber harvesting to stop the practice and instead acquire permits.