Said Njuki

The infamous case involving eight people alleged to have chopped off the hind limbs of a female donkey before proceeding to rape it, have propped up again and six of the suspects have appeared in court last week.

Submitting his evidence, the first state witness from the Mererani Police post, Naftael Mnzava, told the court presided by the Resident Magistrate Felista Mushi, that being an investigative officer of police, the case was reported to him in between the 25th and 26th of May last year by

the local guards who were on duty, and who had actually discovered the animal whose hind limbs had been cut off lying in pain at Plot B area of Mererani in Simanjiro district.

The witness went on to reveal that, after the report he went to the scene where he also discovered that, the reproductive parts of the animal were swollen, which made him to send for the local veterinary officer who after examining the animal, confirmed that, it was violated sexually.

The veterinary doctor, then suggested that, the donkey simply had to be killed as it was undergoing extensive suffering and there was little if any hope of recovering.

The witness then proceeded to produce photo exhibits of the animals before and after being killed, plus an affidavit report of the veterinary officer who examined the animal, which also bore the seal of the Agriculture and Livestock department, all of which were presented to the Police prosecutor, Inspector Juma Mwango.

The six suspects who recently appeared in court were named as Samwel Sarakikya (21), Stephen Genas (21), Peter Kweka (24), Franco Kimweri (22), Mathayo Mafie (20) and Isaack Zephania (27), who together with other two suspects were being held by the police since May 1999 having alleged to have intoxicated a donkey with an alcoholic drink before chopping off its two limbs and having its canal knowledge.