Press statement on the illegal hunt of a collared lion in Hwange District on July 1, 2015

[Wheels]

This press release serves three purposes IMHO:

1. This is a marketing ploy to get ignorant/misinformed people around the world to donate to Zim Parks which will in turn enrich a few people at the top of ZANU PF. The people with their hands in the cookie jar.

2. It is also a matter of trying to extend those 15 minutes of fame. Wow my name is on the BBC, SkyNews, al jazerra, etc.

3. Rub America's nose in the manure for having sanctions on 113 top ZANU PF individuals. Also getting guilt ridden Americans to give more money to fund Zim Parks. (See #1 above)



The above release came from:

BY THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT,WATER AND CLIMATE, HONOURABLE O.C.Z MUCHINGURI

O.C.Z. Muchinguri

Muchinguri is under sanctions by the United States and I believe the European Union. See below.






http://sdnsearch.ofac.treas.gov/Details.aspx?id=802

Sanctions List Search


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Details:
Type: Individual List: SDN
Last Name: MUCHINGURI Program: ZIMBABWE
First Name: Oppah Chamu Zvipange Nationality:
Title: Minister of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development Citizenship:
Date of Birth: 14 Dec 1958 Remarks:
Place of Birth:

Addresses:
Address City State/Province Postal Code Country
15 Moorherist Avenue Harare Zimbabwe

SDN List last updated on: 8/27/2015 10:13:44 AM
Non-SDN List last updated on: 7/30/2015 1:45:48 PM

 

[Wheels]

I think we should wait to see how this plays out before passing judgment.

Is Dr. Palmer guilty? I can easily see where a foreign hunter could be caught up in something like this. "There but by the grace of God go I"

Is Theo Bronkhorst guilty? He says he isn't. Does he have a quota transfer in hand from a Zim Parks employee? This would be real interesting.

Is Honest Trymore Ndoluvu guilty? He obviously was well connected at one time to have been able to gain control of the farm Antoinette. (Stolen from Johnston I believe) Is he now on the outs with the powers that be? Did he have the ability to get a quota transfer and does he have it in his hand?


I don't give any credibility to anything Ms. O.C.Z MUCHINGURI says. She can no longer go to Mayfair or 5th Avenue to shop with her ill gotten millions skimmed off the top from the donor nations. She simply has her panties in a wad and thinks she has figured out a way to skim a few more bucks out of the west.

 

[broncolcj]

Well that was about 3/4 bull$#^&

 

[siml]

In a way I don't see how Palmer can be held liable, he paid a professional to hunt with.

 

[Royal27]

In a way I don't see how Palmer can be held liable, he paid a professional to hunt with.

Agreed - there would have to be overwhelming evidence that he was complicit. Something like an email from Palmer saying something like "thank you for taking care of all the bribes of local officials so I can shoot a lion even though the landowner doesn't have quota. I will wire you the money immediately. " and I really doubt that exists.

 

[sestoppelman]

That letter is mostly a lot of hot air. They try to make it sound as if Palmer and Bronkhurst were the leaders of a huge poaching operation! That's crap! While it remains to be seen whether they actually committed any crimes or not, despite the attempts to paint them as drooling, murderous SOB's, with a hidden agenda to purposely try to discredit the whole of Zimbabwe, there is as yet no trial and no proof other than this frankly slanderous letter! When it all shakes out and a trial (if you can call it that) is held and IF there are convictions, then so be it. In the states this would be called tainting the jury pool, and there is all manner of legalities that can come into play. Its an attempt at trial by public opinion and managed rather poorly I might add. Whether Palmer knew exactly what he was doing or not, I feel sorry for him as he is being persecuted and has had to basically go into hiding while Zim tries to have him extradited for trial. Not a happy prospect. I for one don't see myself visiting Zim again either.

 

[Hank2211]

I believe the rule is "innocent until proven guilty." I don't look at this press release as proof. If in fact there was no quota, I'd have expected Mr. Brinkhorst to keep his mouth shut when he was arrested; instead, he said everything was in order. If there was no quota, seems pretty much like an open and shut case. So get on with it.

I will join those who are prepared to wait and see.

 

[broncolcj]

In a way I don't see how Palmer can be held liable, he paid a professional to hunt with.

Palmer may not be so innocent after all. I read some more on that black bear poaching incident he was convicted for. Turns out he repeatedly lied to the FBI about where he shot his bear in Wisconsin. The found him guilty of shooting that bear 40 miles outside the zone he was licensed to hunt in. In essence, this is the same crime he is charged with in Zim.
Doesn't exactly speak well to his character.

 

[sestoppelman]

This sort of reminds me of an argument I used to have with my old dad. He used to contend that in a criminal trial, an accused should have all of his similar convictions made known to the jury DURING the trial. I always opined that it should not be known to a jury a mans predilections for certain crimes because it will become all too easy to say well sure he did it, look he's done it before! Now during the penalty phase I say sure tell the jury, but only AFTER a conviction on the MERITS OF THE CASE AT HAND! Just because a guy did something wrong in the past doesn't mean he will do it again.

 

[siml]

@sestoppelman , the whole thing really has me sitting on the fence....can't quite decide..

 

[sestoppelman]

There is nothing for US to decide. We don't know any of the facts beyond what we have read. Going by that POS letter, these guys may as well turn themselves into prison for an impending life sentence with or without trial! No one has been convicted of anything. We may never know the truth or even a part of it.

 

[TravisB]

Lol, it only takes three people now to qualify as an "organized gang". Since one "absconded", I wonder if it's still organized. What a joke.

 

[Royal27]

Anybody here ever gotten a speeding ticket while driving?

If you have, then I can only assume that every time you drive you break the law and speed recklessly. You should all have your driver's license taken away!

 

[enysse]

I'm not sure I can trust anything the Zimbabwe government says, look at the way they have run their country down the drain.

I look at actions not words a lot of times and I don't believe anything that comes out of their mouths.

Giving land away, making the ZIM money worthless, massive poaching in the last 15 years.....sounds like great government????

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

I look at actions not words a lot of times...

 

[Hank2211]

Giving land away, making the ZIM money worthless, massive poaching in the last 15 years.....sounds like great government????

Hmm, let me see, the Zimbabwean government are experts at poaching, and are now taking as stand, against, wait for it, poaching by others!

Is this a case of takes one to know one (as the kids would say) or if the only hunting you know is poaching, then every hunter looks like a poacher?

 

[ScottG]

I don't believe there will be a fair trial. They can't afford to find anyone innocent. That would not fall into the media and funding campaign that has begun. On one hand they talk about hunting and scientific conservation and then they appealing to the animal lovers. They are going to milk it for what it's worth then tell the animal lovers to mind their own business when they don't take any action. The man's is in his 90's. What is anyone going to do to him.

 

[spike.t]

quite interesting , had dinner with a couple who are friends. she is vegetarian and had a problem with the trophies up on the way from the bar to dining room . we had a discussion years ago where i tore all her anti arguments to pieces, and she ended in tears and couldnt come up with anything else....... and her husband said ...give up he has covered anything you have said and you have nothing more to say. at dinner she brought the lion up (refuse to call it anything other than a lion , which to me is far more correct) and said you cant say that was anything other than wrong.....i said sorry its totally incorrect the way it was reported and............that was as far as i got. she said no its not i am going to name you on facebook.....................i said go ahead as i am not on it , and as long as they fkn come to me face to face..................she said i am changing the subject now....

 

[Royal27]

I just never even know what to say to people like that. Totally emotional argumemt, then when facts are brought up, they threaten you. Never ceases to amaze me...

Mike,

You showed how much of a gentleman you are just by not asking her to leave your house.

 

[Wheels]

quite interesting , had dinner with a couple who are friends. she is vegetarian and had a problem with the trophies up on the way from the bar to dining room . we had a discussion years ago where i tore all her anti arguments to pieces, and she ended in tears and couldnt come up with anything else....... and her husband said ...give up he has covered anything you have said and you have nothing more to say. at dinner she brought the lion up (refuse to call it anything other than a lion , which to me is far more correct) and said you cant say that was anything other than wrong.....i said sorry its totally incorrect the way it was reported and............that was as far as i got. she said no its not i am going to name you on facebook.....................i said go ahead as i am not on it , and as long as they fkn come to me face to face..................she said i am changing the subject now....

Why do I get the idea she won't be coming to your home for dinner again.