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Beijing: A farmer in northern China found guilty of doctoring photos of an endangered tiger after collecting a cash reward from wildlife authorities, has been handed a lighter sentence on appeal, local media saidon Tuesday.
Zhou Zhenglong, a 54-year-old farmer from a mountainous county in northern Shaanxi province, was awarded a 20,000 yuan (Dh10,760.30) bonus last year, after he produced pictures which authorities said were evidence of a South China tiger.
The pictures, which showed a tiger crouching in a forest setting, sparked an internet furore led by experts who identified the photos as faked, and local media who accused officials of endorsing them as a means of promoting tourism in a poor region.
After months of dithering, authorities finally admitted the pictures were fake and sacked a swag of officials for their part in the scandal.
Zhou, who had been given a two year jail term for fraud and illegally possessing bullets in September, had the sentence suspended at his appeal, Xinhua news agency said, citing the Intermediate People's Court in Shaanxi.
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