Three individuals were arrested over the weekend in connection with the alleged illegal hunting of an elephant at Omugulugombashe village in the Tsandi constituency of the Omusati region.

According to regional police commander commissioner Ismael Basson, the elephant which later killed a 46-year-old woman was shot last Wednesday at around 22h00 in a mahangu field at the village.

"It is alleged that the suspects hunted a specially protected animal, an elephant, in contravention of the Nature Conservation Ordinance," Basson says.

He says the suspects were found in possession of a firearm and ammunition without the required licences or permits, and that one of them supplied the firearm and ammunition without authorisation.

The suspects are also accused of failing to properly secure the firearm in a safe, he says.

Basson adds that the firearm used in the incident was a 303 hunting rifle.

The estimated value of the animal is N$295 000, he says.

The suspects have been identified as Paulus Wilhelm (23), Ndeshipanda Kaapangelwa (51), and Awala Inamugadhimbwa (34).

Badson says the three appeared in the Okahao Magistrate's Court on Monday.

They were each granted bail of N$800.