Black woman shot in mistaken identity of a hippo by a white South African farmer

A 77-year-old white farm owner from South Africa was arraigned in court on Thursday for shooting and injuring a black woman who he claimed thought was a hippo, police said.
Paul Hendrik van Zyl, was arrested on Tuesday after shooting the woman who was fishing with her boyfriend on a river in the town of Lephalale in northern Limpopo province.

He faces charges of attempted murder, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

“The arrested suspect claimed he was shooting the animals (hippopotamus),” police spokeswoman Mamphaswa Seabi said in a statement.

Ramokone Linah, 38, was shot in the hand, while her partner “managed to hide”, police said.

Defendant “is the owner of the farm where the incident took place,” said Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, a NPA spokesman in the state.

Hendrik was released on $ 1,000 bail ($ 62) and the case was adjourned for further investigation until May 18.