Patricia Busch, mother of Lionman Craig Busch, is to give evidence today in the inquest into the death of big cat handler Dalu Mncube, at Whangarei's Zion Wildlife Park while the two Buschs were involved in a bitter dispute for control of the world famous park.
The inquest into the death of Clifford (Dalu) Mncube began before Northland Coroner Brandt Shortland at Whangarei District Court yesterday afternoon.
Mr MnCube, a 26-year-old born in Zimbabwean, was employed at the park _ home of TV's The Lionman series _
when he was killed by a white male Bengal tiger Abu on May 27, 2009.
Mrs Busch was expected to give evidence today and would then face cross-examination by lawyers representing Mr Mncube's partner Sharon Arnott; the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Ministry of Primary Industries.
Yesterday, big cat handler Martin Ferreira described how he heard Abu crush the head of his colleague Mr Mncube after the pair had entered the enclosure Abu shared with a female tiger Rewa to clean it on May 27, 2009.