Zimbabwe official: US dentist not wanted for killing lion

[webfact]

Zimbabwe official: US dentist not wanted for killing lion
By FARAI MUTSAKA

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe is no longer pressing for the extradition of James Walter Palmer, an American dentist who killed a well-known lion called Cecil, a Cabinet minister said Monday.

Palmer can now safely return to Zimbabwe as a "tourist" because he had not broken the southern African country's hunting laws, Environment, Water and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri told reporters in Harare on Monday. Zimbabwe's police and the National Prosecuting Authority had cleared Palmer of wrongdoing, she said.

Through an adviser, Palmer declined comment.

Palmer was identified as the man who killed Cecil in a bow hunt. Cecil, a resident of Hwange National park in western Zimbabwe, was well-known to tourists and researchers for his distinctive black mane.

Muchinguri-Kashiri had said in July that Zimbabwean police and prosecutors would work to get Palmer returned to Zimbabwe to face poaching charges.

On Monday, she told reporters in Harare that Palmer can now safely return to Zimbabwe as a "tourist" because he had not broken this wildlife-rich southern African country's hunting laws.

"He is free to come, not for hunting, but as a tourist," Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri told reporters. "It turned out that Palmer came to Zimbabwe because all the papers were in order."

Palmer was the subject of extradition talk in Zimbabwe and a target of protests in the United States, particularly in Minnesota, where he has a dental practice, after he was identified as the man who killed Cecil the lion in a bow hunt. Cecil roamed in Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe.

Messages left Monday with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which was handling a U.S. investigation into Palmer, were not immediately returned.

Theo Bronkhorst, a Zimbabwean professional hunter who was a guide for Palmer, returned to court last week on charges of allowing an illegal hunt. His lawyer Perpetua Dube argued that the charges are too vague and should be dropped.
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AP writers Brian Bakst in St. Paul and Amy Forliti in Minneapolis contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-10-13

[ezzra]

The dentist probably agreed to pay $100,000,000,000 zillions quadrillions Zimbabwe dollars

( 71.49 US$ in real money ) as penalty to bring the matter to a close....

[Boon Mee]

The SJW's love this story anyway...

[eggers]

Wonder if "Cecil" had correct documents tagged to him " Available to hunt"???? No doubt, the dentist has justified & clarified the circumstances of Cecil's demise, by a generous 'donation' to Mugabe & cronies retirement fund!!!!

Survival of species has no chance when these types of greedy morons exist.

[piersbeckett]

Wonder if "Cecil" had correct documents tagged to him " Available to hunt"???? No doubt, the dentist has justified & clarified the circumstances of Cecil's demise, by a generous 'donation' to Mugabe & cronies retirement fund!!!!

Survival of species has no chance when these types of greedy morons exist.

Mugabe's waiting for God to take him so the contribution would have been for funeral expenses.

[eggers]

Wonder if "Cecil" had correct documents tagged to him " Available to hunt"???? No doubt, the dentist has justified & clarified the circumstances of Cecil's demise, by a generous 'donation' to Mugabe & cronies retirement fund!!!!

Survival of species has no chance when these types of greedy morons exist.

Mugabe's waiting for God to take him so the contribution would have been for funeral expenses.

Not, sure it's "God" who's waiting..... more likely spirits of departed Zimbabweans ( there's plenty of them!) who died during Mugabe's tyrannical rule!!

[alfalfa19]

I'm guessing Zimbabwe has a "pay for justice" system similar to another country we're familiar with.

[Baerboxer]

Wonder if someone might get the idea to hunt the hunter?

He's in a country where people settle things with weapons.

[cookee68]

Wonder if someone might get the idea to hunt the hunter?

He's in a country where people settle things with weapons.

He killed a Lion for <deleted> sake not a child, and he has been cleared of any wrong doing, some people are so touchy, like the croc that ate the child it was her fault because she was to near to the croc, oh yes