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Cecil the lion killer faces fresh charges in Zimbabwe

Xinhua, September 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

The professional Zimbabwean hunter accused of having assisted in the illegal killing of the black-mane lion Cecil early July was arrested on fresh allegations of trying to facilitate the smuggling of game to neighboring South Africa.

Theo Bronkhorst, whose trial in the alleged illegal hunt case has been set for Sept. 28, is now being accused of having tried to transport 29 sable antelopes into South Africa via an undesignated crossing area using three four-wheel drive trucks.

State radio reported Tuesday that police spokesperson Charity Charamba had confirmed the arrest in Bulawayo on Monday and said that Bronkhorst would be transferred to Beitbridge where the offense was allegedly committed.

The arrest follows that of three South Africans who were found with the animals said to be worth 348,000 U.S. dollars which had been moved from a private conservancy in south-eastern Zimbabwe.

Bronchorst, who works for Bushman Safaris, is accused of having facilitated an illegal bow hunt during which Cecil the lion was lured out of Hwange Game Park and killed by American hunter Walter Palmer in a neighbouring conservancy on July 1.

He has since appeared in court in Victoria Falls for initial hearing, together with the owner of the conservancy on which the hunt was conducted, Honest Trymore Ndlovu.

Palmer has since pleaded innocence and said he did not know that the lion he killed - which had a GPS collar as part of a research by Oxford University - was prized.

Palmer has been vilified on the social media and had to close his dental practice for more than a month as animal rights activists and other people bayed for his blood. Endit