KANCHANABURI, Thailand: A Thai tycoon accused of poaching a black leopard at a wildlife sanctuary is due in court Tuesday for the highly anticipated verdict – a case that has fuelled outrage in a country fed up with impunity and corruption. Construction magnate Premchai Karnasuta, one of Thailand’s wealthiest moguls, was arrested by rangers in a national park in February 2018. He was detained with three others after rangers stumbled upon their campsite and found guns and animal carcasses, including a Kalij pheasant, a red muntjac – or barking deer – and the skinned remains of a black leopard. Premchai was charged with a slew of offences related to poaching, though he has denied wrongdoing and was swiftly granted bail. But the striking images of the skinned leopard went viral, inspiring protests that saw demonstrators don black leopard masks, as well as graffiti of the giant cat across city walls and a Change.org petition calling for an investigation.

Source: New Strait Times March 18, 2019 22:52 UTC