I have been recently corresponding with Chris Mario about his great hunts in CAR. He is now off to Tanzania for the season so he handed over my contact to the owner/outfitter, Erik Mararv of Central African Wildlife Adventures for follow up. During my comms with him I blindly asked the question if he knew about the incident about the PH/Client being jailed for murder in CAR...is it resolved and still safe to hunt in CAR??!!
Here is his response:
The people who had the trouble with the governement becasue of the murders were us. But to make a long story short it was the justice minister of the country who was having an illegal mine outside our area, but when some people got killed in their mine, we got accused of having done it. Why? Because we are white and are considered to have lots of money to milk out...

Anyway, the justice minister was screwing with the wrong people and ended up loosing his job having to flee the country etc. He and his closest people are being investigated as we speak and we are preparing for the next season.

Well, there is "The Rest of The Story" as Paul Harvey would put it!! I think this is important for all of us to know when planning future hunts. Maybe I missed the report on this issue in these forums or other reports but thought I would share it here for the Good of This Order!!
As usual....Only in Africa, EH??!!
Cheers

Thanks for sharing the info - had heard about Erik's legally issues, but not the resolution... Bad news travels faster than good sometimes.

Orvar

this has actually been discussed at length on multiple posts on this forum.

quote:

Originally posted by 470EDDY: As usual....Only in Africa, EH??!!

The thing that makes this story interesting and notable is the fact that the justice minister lost his job and got run out of the country.

It's been my experience that when the expression "Only in Africa" is used in this forum, it's because of the widespread perception that, in general, injustice always prevails in Africa; that one should accept the premise that Africa is a hopeless case; that the entire continent is in some inevitable, unstoppable downward spiral ... and that any attempt at preventing that or improving things is futile ... and that those who work toward that end are fools.

Such sentiments offend me ... so I found it refreshing to read your account.

If memory serves, was it not Macmillan who said that Africa should be bricked-up, and once every one hundred years, a brick should be removed to check on matters, then a decision should be made after considering the state of Africa as to whether the brick should be replaced or a doorway made.

PH and pilot . . . no client. Also several staff.

This is the blog from CAWA's website concerning the arrest of David, Erik, and staff. As Will said, no clients involved.

http://cawasafari.wordpress.com/