Africa News
Zimbabwean pair due in court over Cecil the lion killing─── 12:23 Wed, 29 Jul 2015
Vic Falls - Two men are due to appear in court in Zimbabwe later over the killing of Cecil, the country's most famous lion.
Professional hunter Theo Bronkhorst and farm owner Honest Ndlovu, are charged with poaching offences for not having the required hunting permit.
US dentist Walter Palmer shot the animal with a crossbow and rifle outside Hwange National Park.
Police say Mr Palmer, who claims he was unaware of the lion's identity, could also face poaching charges.
The two Zimbabwean men, who accompanied him on the hunt, will appear in court in Victoria Falls, and could face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.
Mr Palmer says he regrets shooting the well-known animal and believed he was on a legal hunt, saying he relied on professional guides to find a lion and obtain the necessary permits.
Separately, court records have shown that the dentist has a felony record in the US after killing a black bear in the state of Wisconsin in 2006.
He was given a one-year probation and fined $3,000 (£1,900), having shot the animal outside an authorised zone and then trying to pass it off as having been killed elsewhere.
Records from the Minnesota Board of Dentistry also show that Mr Palmer was the subject of a sexual harassment complaint which was settled in 2006.
A receptionist alleged that he had made indecent comments to her. Mr Palmer admitted no wrongdoing and agreed to pay out more than $127,000 (£81,000).
BBC News
US dentist Walter Palmer shot the animal with a crossbow and rifle outside Hwange National Park.
Police say Mr Palmer, who claims he was unaware of the lion's identity, could also face poaching charges.
The two Zimbabwean men, who accompanied him on the hunt, will appear in court in Victoria Falls, and could face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.
Mr Palmer says he regrets shooting the well-known animal and believed he was on a legal hunt, saying he relied on professional guides to find a lion and obtain the necessary permits.
Separately, court records have shown that the dentist has a felony record in the US after killing a black bear in the state of Wisconsin in 2006.
He was given a one-year probation and fined $3,000 (£1,900), having shot the animal outside an authorised zone and then trying to pass it off as having been killed elsewhere.
Records from the Minnesota Board of Dentistry also show that Mr Palmer was the subject of a sexual harassment complaint which was settled in 2006.
A receptionist alleged that he had made indecent comments to her. Mr Palmer admitted no wrongdoing and agreed to pay out more than $127,000 (£81,000).
BBC News
