Cecil guide jailed for hunting rare antelope

31 October 2016 - 09:26 By © The Telegraph

A Zimbabwean hunter who was caught up in the Cecil the Lion scandal was in prison at the weekend after he was charged on Friday with illegally hunting an antelope, which is on the endangered species list. Roan antelope are seldom seen in national parks and conservancies in sub-Saharan Africa.There are only about 70 left in the Kruger National Park.Headman Sibanda, 56, was arrested on Thursday after a tip-off from rangers at Zimbabwe's Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.He appeared in the Hwange Magistrate's Court on Friday near Zimbabwe's largest game reserve, the Hwange National Park.He was remanded and will apply for bail this week.Hunting a roan antelope carries a maximum sentence of nine years in prison.Sibanda worked for Zimbabwe's parks authority for many years, and before that was a policeman .Last year he sold a permit for a lion to be hunted on a game farm to a Zimbabwe safari company which was hired to host US dentist Walter Palmer, who wanted to shoot the animal with a bow and arrow. ..

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