Cross-border livestock theft appears to be on the rise in the Kavango East Region.

The police received 32 cattle that were recovered in Angola at Ndiyona. 

The Crime Investigation Coordinator, Bonifatius Kanyetu, said livestock theft cases have alarmingly increased this year compared to previous years. 

Deputy Commissioner Kanyetu said the stolen herds of cattle are either sold in Namibia or neighbouring Angola.

From September 2023 to October this year, 335 heads of cattle were stolen from Namibia, and only 90 were recovered in Namibia and Angola combined, with 80 more to be collected from Zambia.

"With our current cooperation with the Angolan police, as you see, we have NamGo, which means it's the cooperation between Namibian police and the Angolan police, and this joint investigation was done between the Angolan police and our Namibian police after the notification, and they are still on the ground now." 

Divundu and Ndiyona are the most affected areas by livestock theft.

With the latest recovery, at least four suspects were arrested, one Angolan and three Namibian nationals.

Having recovered six of his cattle out of the 32, Amos Kanyetu expressed his gratitude to the police.