Police spokesperson Charity Charamba told the state ZBC broadcaster that Bronkhorst, who was behind the killing in July of Cecil the Lion, will face two new charges following the discovery of 29 sable, allegedly being smuggled to South Africa at the weekend.

The charges are "moving animals without a permit and being an accomplice to smuggle wild animals", Charamba was quoted as saying.

Separate reports say the sable were from a farm Bronkhorst was living on at Victoria Falls. There are allegations that he imported the sable from Zambia.

Bronkhorst was arrested on Monday in Bulawayo.

Three South Africans were arrested at the weekend when the trucks in which they were transporting the sable got stuck at an illegal crossing point near Beitbridge.

Two of the sable are believed to have died. The trucks were poorly ventilated, Zimbabwe's independent Bhejane Trust claimed.

Bronkhorst is already due in court on September 28 to face charges in connection with his role in the killing of Cecil in the first week of July.

He was allegedly paid $50 000 by US dentist Walter Palmer to hunt the lion.

Palmer, who was the focus of global hatred when Cecil's killing first came to light, has argued that he put his faith in the Zimbabwean hunter and his associates and did not know the hunt was illegal.

-News24.com