Gorilla shooter given 40 years

Johannesburg - A man who shot a gorilla while fleeing from police has been sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Johannesburg - A man who shot a gorilla while fleeing from police has been sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Max the gorilla, a star attraction at Johannesburg zoo,

became a folk hero in South Africa in July 1997 after he helped police to capture Isaac Mofokeng.

Mofokeng ran blindly into Max's den while being pursued by police after he tried to break into a nearby home. Max pinned the fugitive against the wall of his enclosure and kept guard even after Mafokeng shot him in the chest.

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Mofokeng, a former policeman, was found guilty on 10 of the 11 charges he faced for various crimes, including rape and housebreaking, the South African Broadcasting Corporation said. His 40-year prison sentence included five years for malicious injury to the gorilla.