Zimbabwean trial of guide in Cecil killing is postponed

The Wildlife Conservation Research Unit at Britain’s prestigious Oxford University, which had tracked Cecil since 2008, said more than £550,000 (S$1.2 million) had been received in donations over the past week.

Dr. Jan Seski, of Murrysville, Pennsylvania, said in a statement from his lawyer Tuesday that he had participated in a lawfully permitted hunt.

“We will devote ourselves, supported by the incredible generosity of these donations, to working for the conservation of lions in Hwange and, with this marvellous support, the surrounding landscapes in adjoining countries”, said WildCRU’s director, Professor David Macdonald. The professional Zimbabwean hunter who led the expedition that killed Cecil the lion was due to stand trial today on charges of organising an illegal hunt. “I don’t think that I’ve done anything wrong”.

US airlines Delta and American on Monday banned the shipment of big game trophies on flights, in the wake of outrage over the killing of Cecil.

The hunting of lions, leopards and elephants in the area around the national park in western Zimbabwe has been suspended, as has hunting with bows and arrows. Bronkhorst was charged in Zimbabwe last week with failing to supervise, control and take reasonable steps to prevent an unlawful hunt.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management spokesman Caroline Washa-Moyo confirmed the arrest of Headman Sibanda, the owner of Nyala Safaris, in connection with the illegally conducted Sieski hunt.

On Friday the Zimbabwean government confirmed that it asked its US counterpart to assist in securing the extradition of Palmer on poaching charges.

The prosecutor said the killing happened sometime between June 22 and July 2. The wildlife management body could not be reached to clarify the discrepancy.

She said Sibanda was arrested after a tip-off. The case was postponed to September 3.

“I have permits for a bow hunt from the National Parks Authority”. “I did not commit a crime and Seski did not commit a crime”. A government minister in the African country has called him a “foreign poacher” and said he should be extradited. In court on Wednesday he was simply named as the client.