Hunter who killed man he mistook for warthog to serve time behind bars

The hunter who killed a man he had mistaken for a warthog will serve six years behind bars, Limpopo police said on Wednesday.

Stefan Hepburn was sentenced by the Modimolle Regional Court on Tuesday, said Brig Motlafela Mojapelo.

His victim was 23-year-old Jan Railwa.

"The accused, from Pretoria, was on December 11 2018 convicted on a charge of culpable homicide," said Mojapelo.

Railwa was shot dead on February 11 2017 around 8pm. 

At the time, Mojapelo said, Hepburn had been hunting with a woman and fired a shot when he heard noises in the bushes.

Mojapelo said when the two reached the spot‚ they realised they had shot a person and the police were informed.

"The victim died on the scene‚" Mojapelo said.

Railwa had been employed at a neighbouring farm and lived in the vicinity.

Welcoming the sentence, provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Nneke Ledwaba warned all authorised hunters to be extra careful to properly identify any target before pulling the trigger.

"This sentence should serve as a wake-up call to all persons making use of firearms that any form of negligence will not be tolerated," Ledwaba said.