Cecil The Lion Killer Update: Zimbabwe Will Not Press Charges Against Walter Palmer
New developments recently came up regarding the highly criticized killing of Zimbabwe's famed lion named Cecil. Apparently, the government of Zimbabwe on Monday announced that they will not be charging Walter Palmer, the dentist and hunter who killed Cecil.
Palmer, known to be a dentist and a hunter from Minnesota, was involved in one of the biggest controversies regarding animal rights when he killed Cecil, the Lion from Zimbabwe, in one of his hunting trips back in July.
After months of investigation and legal talks, Zimbabwe finally gave an answer Monday in a press conference sparking even more controversy. The government will not be pressing charges against Palmer as the 55-year-old dentist apparently got all the clearance papers legally.
Zimbabwe environment minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri informed the media Monday. "We approached the police and then the prosecutor general, and it turned out that Palmer came to Zimbabwe because all the papers were in order," he said as quoted by Reuters.
Not only that, Zimbabwe will also be allowing Palmer to visit the country. According to a report from USA Today, Muchinguri-Kashiri said that Palmer would be permitted to be a "tourist" in the country since he did not break any South African laws.
However, Palmer will not be able to receive any kind of permit to hunt in the country ever again according to a report from Reuters.
Previously, Muchinguri-Kashiri announced that Palmer would have to return to Zimbabwe to face poaching charges, but on Monday, the National Prosecuting Authority finally cleared Palmer of any possible charges.
Back in July, Cecil, a rare black-maned lion, was said to be in his usual residence at Hwange National Park in Western Zimbabwe when Palmer shot him with a bow and arrow outside the park.
After the incident, a lot of conservationists, including authorities, protested and urged Palmer to face charges. "The fact is the law was broken," Johnny Rodrigues, the head of the Zimbabwe task force said, per Reuters. "We are going to get our advocates in America to actually see what they can do to bring justice to him."
There are still no official statements from Palmer as of the moment. He was last seen publicly entering his dental clinic in Bloomington, Minn., two months after closing his practice in July since there had been a widespread criticism against him for killing the famed lion.
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