South African Professional Hunter Charged with Federal Crimes for Illegal Elephant Hunts

[BRICKBURN]

"HUNTERS make importation bans work!"

It's a USFWS conspiracy!

 

[Hogpatrol]

I find the fact you ever even considered it to be quite concerning....

Thankfully, I didn't discuss it with my wife or any other person.

 

[PHASA]

Hanno has been a loyal member of Phasa but tendered his resignation recently . Section 35 of the Constitution of South Africa states that a person is not guilty until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law . Phasa fully supports this .

We as an Association treat all members equal. We refrain from making statements without proper information.

 

[flatwater bill]

PHASA................now there's a novel idea.....innocent until proven guilty. Seems I've heard of that before. But it has been recently thrown aside by everyone alleging that someone did something to somebody 30 years ago. They are guilty, fired, chastised and shamed in the public media...........................and some of them are probably innocent. Witness the Texas policeman's alleged assault proven BS by the body cam. We should not jump to a guilty verdict before the trial.......................FWB

 

[Hank2211]

Hanno has been a loyal member of Phasa but tendered his resignation recently . Section 35 of the Constitution of South Africa states that a person is not guilty until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law . Phasa fully supports this .

We as an Association treat all members equal. We refrain from making statements without proper information.

Note that SCI does not share the same sentiment.

 

[wesheltonj]

. . .
Ever pay a bribe to get thru the airport in JNB? Maputo?....or to pick up your "lost" rifle?

We're not talking $20 for a coke. See below:

https://af.reuters.com/article.../idAFKCN1IV0IH-OZATP



TOP NEWSMAY 30, 2018 / 1:21 AM / UPDATED 6 HOURS AGO

Zimbabwe investigates bribe allegations after hunter indicted in U.S

Reuters Staff

2 MIN READ

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe’s wildlife agency said on Tuesday it was investigating allegations that a South African national bribed officials to allow a Colorado-based tourist to take the ivory tusks of an elephant illegally shot in a Zimbabwe game park.


Their inquiry comes after U.S. prosecutors accused the South African, who was with a hunting party in Gonarezhou National Park in southern Zimbabwe, of paying up to $8,000 in bribes to Zimbabwean government officials to kill the elephant inside the park and to have the animal’s ivory released.

“We are investigating the matter,” said Tinashe Farawo, spokesman for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. He gave no further details.

A government official, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said Zimbabwean authorities had contacted the South African but he was not forthcoming with information.


A statement by the U.S. Department of Justice in Colorado dated May 21 said the South African conspired with the unidentified Colorado hunter to export the tusks by falsely saying in official documents the hunter was a South African resident and that the elephant was shot outside Gonarezhou.

It is illegal under Zimbabwean law for hunters to shoot animals inside a state game park.

In 2015, a U.S. dentist touched off a global storm when he killed a rare black-maned lion named Cecil with a bow and arrow outside Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe, forcing the United States to suspend importation of elephant trophies from Africa.

Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Alison Williams

 

[flatwater bill]

Westj says "we're not talking $20 for a coke" ......................the law I quoted does not specify an amount. It simply says "....violating ANY law...." And the dentist you mentioned did touch off a global storm...............................but I am still uncertain as to what law HE violated. I stand by my statement...............people are innocent until proven guilty. In a court of law......not by Tinashe Farawo of Zimbabwe............FWB

 

[IvW]

Hanno has been a loyal member of Phasa but tendered his resignation recently . Section 35 of the Constitution of South Africa states that a person is not guilty until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law . Phasa fully supports this .

We as an Association treat all members equal. We refrain from making statements without proper information.

Nice statement.

Strange why he would tender a resignation then...

 

[flatwater bill]

Yeah, why resign? Maybe he was guilty? Or maybe, like the dentist who shot Cecil the lion, and is referenced above by WJ ,he was worried......."The family practice (dentist office) in Bloomington, Minn was mobbed by protesters after (dr) Palmer paid to .....slaughter the lion".....(The Daily Mail).......".(Dr) Palmer had a permit and was not charged with any crime......Wiki)".........................Palmer was punished in the media for no crime.......I simply recommend everyone think, for a moment, critically about their news before concluding anything...........learning about accusations is good, waiting for judgement is great.......FWB

 

[Royal27]

Nice statement.

Strange why he would tender a resignation then...

Perhaps be simply doesn't agree with PHASA's position on CBL?

 

[Fred Gunner]

I find the fact you ever even considered it to be quite concerning....

Question: Did Hogpatrol talk to anyone about Unlawfully removing Pillow tags?
Question: Did Hogpatrol and his Co-Conspirator go shopping together for said Pillow?
If the answer to both are yes then I highly recommend Mr. Hogpatrol take his next safari in a country without an extradition Treaty with the USA....RUN!

 

[Philip Glass]

Ok if the guy did some illegal hunting by all means he should be prosecuted and buried in that jurisdiction but last time I checked Zimbabwe is not in the US jurisdiction. That should be something that the govt of Zimbabwe deals with NOT USFW. Just more of the US gov’t trying to be world police. And they wonder why people hate us??????

Exactly!

 

[Hoas]

Zimbabwe probes bribe allegations after hunter indicted in US

Harare - Zimbabwe's wildlife agency said on Tuesday it was investigating allegations that a South African national bribed officials to allow a Colorado-based tourist to take the ivory tusks of an elephant illegally shot in a Zimbabwe game park.

Their inquiry comes after US prosecutors accused the South African, who was with a hunting party in Gonarezhou National Park in southern Zimbabwe, of paying up to $8 000 (about R101 000) in bribes to Zimbabwean government officials to kill the elephant inside the park and to have the animal's ivory released.

"We are investigating the matter," said Tinashe Farawo, spokesman for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. He gave no further details.

A government official, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said Zimbabwean authorities had contacted the South African but he was not forthcoming with information.

A statement by the US Department of Justice in Colorado dated May 21 said the South African conspired with the unidentified Colorado hunter to export the tusks by falsely saying in official documents the hunter was a South African resident and that the elephant was shot outside Gonarezhou.

It is illegal under Zimbabwean law for hunters to shoot animals inside a state game park.




Source: https://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/z...egations-after-hunter-indicted-in-us-15226969

 

[Bud Smith]

In my opinion, our government should leave the prosecution, if any, of the South African PH to the government of South Africa or the government of Zimbabwe. Our government is primarily responsible for the actions of its own citizens if they break the law. They have apprehended, convicted and punished the US citizen and I believe there actions should stop there.

If you don't think this is a problem, what if the roles were reversed. Imagine yourself getting a knock on your door at night from a Zimbabwe Game Official who wants to take you to his country and prosecute you under their system of criminal justice for doing something they claim you did in your country in violation of a treaty their country has with your country. Preposterous you say? That is what our government is doing to a man who lives and works and is a citizen of South Africa.

I also have some concerns why he is being singled out. Why didn't they indict the agent trying to arrange the shipment, or the Zimbabwian PH that took them into the park, or the people who allegedly accepted the bribe, or any one of a number of other people that were involved?

It is not the job, nor should it be, of the US Dept of Justice to be indicting citizens of foreign countries for crimes allegedly committed in foreign countries. There is plenty of crime committed right here in our country by our citizens that they can investigate and prosecute.

 

[jeff]

You make some very valid points!!

 

[JPbowhunter]

It is not the job, nor should it be, of the US Dept of Justice to be indicting citizens of foreign countries for crimes allegedly committed in foreign countries. There is plenty of crime committed right here in our country by our citizens that they can investigate and prosecute.

No offense but the US does like to think of itself as the world police so it doesn't surprise me. But I completely agree it has nothing to do with them. How would an american citizen feel if they broke a game law in the US and were prosecuted by some foreign country? It's ludicrous.

In my opinion the hunter is at fault and the ph is at fault, but neither could do the poaching without a corrupt government allowing it. Maybe aim at fixing that.

 

[LivingTheDream]

The hunter, especially a director at DSC, should have known what he was doing and how bad it would look. For the money he spent he could just bought a legal hunt and done it the right way. He could have put the whole sport in jeopardy and potentially has. Definitely a huge black eye for DSC.

On another note, I believe under US law there are some bribes that are considered ok, for example if someone is holding your passport and won't let you leave the country. (They have a name for it but I can't remember). It depends on if the bribe is considered part of the culture and what the influence is. Bribe to get a business deal = bad. Bribe to leave the country = ok. I think if you are or prior military you have to report it. I took a training on it a long time ago and can't remember exactly how it works but it is very vague probably by design.