Die RepublikeinTuesday 14 July 2015
Swakopmund, Namibia. Senior
judges and magistrates from Eastern and Southern Africa gathered in Namibia for
the first summit of this nature to find solutions for the international fight
against money laundering, financing and promotion of terrorism, and
confiscation of assets gained through criminal activities.
This event was hosted by the Bank
of Namibia (BoN) in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime, UNODC. It is the same agency which
played a leading role last month in the international operation against
wildlife poaching, Operation Cobra III. During this operation, a total of 139
people were arrested and 247 confiscations of ivory, medicinal plants, rhino
horn and tortoises were done. Operation Cobra also ensured the
arrest of a Chinese national, suspected to be the leader of a rhino poaching
syndicate in Namibia, the apprehension of a notorious elephant poacher from
India and the location of 340 elephant tusks and 65 rhino horns in Mozambique. The 3-day summit in Swakopmund
yesterday kicked off with a serious warning by the operational advisor from
UNODC, and organiser of the summit, Mr. Fitz-Roy Drayton.In his opening address he
emphasised that professional criminals regard jail terms only as an obstacle in
their quest to make money. "They endure incarceration for as long as they reap
the benefits of their crimes. Only when the proceeds are taken away, will we be
able to eradicate the problem of organised crime”, Drayton told the conference
of high-level judges and magistrates.According to him, Southern Africa
has recently been the target of a sharp increase in cross-border crime,
particularly pertaining to wildlife and natural resources. "These criminals are
organised by syndicates which are motivated by one single motive, and that is
the enormous profits that can be made. They do not take into account the
suffering and economic consequences for countries in the region caused by their
deeds. When they are sentenced, they shrug their shoulders about the jail time,
but cry openly when you take away their luxury vehicles, and their children's
privilege of attending exclusive schools”, Drayton said.
Namibia's Judge President and deputy chief
justice, Judge Petrus Damaseb, in turn said the summit aimed at establishing an
electronic compilation of legal case studies from across the globe, which will
be available to all legal systems to assist decision-making with regard to
money laundering and financing or promotion of terrorism.He pointed out that terrorism currently
relies increasingly on networks, and are more vocal and less predictable. "Organised
crime and terrorism are transnational crimes which knows no borders, and can be
committed by pressing a button from anywhere in the world. This enables
criminals to hide successfully and to benefit from their unlawful profits.
Terrorism, in contrast, remains an important threat for international peace,
stability and world-wide democracy,” Damaseb said.
