Sleuths have arrested 10 people who were transporting donkey meat to Nairobi to feed the growing demand for meat over the festive season.
Police revealed that the suspects were ferrying several kilograms of donkey meat in two vehicles to Shauri Moyo from where it would be sold to city residents.
Alert police officers spoiled the party and intercepted the two vehicles in Makueni.
"On December 30, 2023, National Police Service Officers from Kwa Kathoka Police Post and Makueni Police Station within Makueni County intercepted two motor vehicles, registration numbers KDB 991U Toyota Fielder and KCK 434M Toyota Wish, loaded with suspected donkey meat.
"Arrested are ten suspects, namely: Antony Kiiru, Samson Kamau, Paul Kabura, Cyrus Nthumbi, Isaac Njoroge, Johnstone Kilunja, Samuel Mwangi, Andrew Kithiki, Carol Makau, and Francis Makau. Preliminary investigations suggest that the donkey meat was on transport to Shauri Moyo Market in Nairobi.” Police revealed in a statement on Saturday, December 30.
Further investigations saw police recover 25 skinned heads of donkeys that the suspects had allegedly cornered and slaughtered to distribute as meat and cash in on the demand for meat over the festive season.
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Hooves, heads recovered
Several donkey skins and hooves were also recovered from a pit within the homestead of one of the suspects in police custody.
"A multi-agency team of NPS officers and public health officers later visited the slaughter scene and retrieved 25 skinned heads and several hooves of donkeys from a pit within the homestead of one of the suspects.
"Other exhibits recovered from the scene were crude tools suspected to have been used for the slaughter," the police revealed.
Cases of criminals slaughtering and selling donkeys have been on the rise with authorities closing in and arresting several people linked to the trade.
Last month, a driver was apprehended at the popular Burma market in Nairobi after being found with several kilograms of donkey meat.
Police cautioned city residents that they could be consuming donkey meat sold to them as beef following the seizure of the donkey meat that was intercepted.
"We want to know more about his supplies and who has been buying the same because we could be consuming donkey meat without our knowledge," Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei said following the arrest.