Nakuru man gets 3 years in jail for selling cat meat

A man accused of selling cat meat to samosa vendors has been jailed for three years by a Nakuru court.

Nakuru Chief Magistrate Benard Mararo convicted Mr James Mukangu Kimani after he admitted committing the offence when he appeared in court on Monday.

Mr Kimani was charged with slaughtering and selling cat meat to unsuspecting customers on June 24in Nakuru town.

The charge sheet stated that he slaughtered a cat for human consumption contrary to the Foods, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act.

He also faced another charge of slaughtering an animal in an undesignated place contrary to meat control regulations.

In his defence, Mr Kimani said he had been sent by someone who offered to give him good pay if he delivered the meat and skin.

He pleaded for leniency. But the court said the sentence was proportionate with the offence committed.

The carcass which was presented in court as an exhibit.

Mr Kimani was arrested after he was found skinning a cat on Sunday.

Speaking to journalists he claimed he has sold over 1,000 cats to samosa vendors and a hotel in the town since 2012.

Mr Kimani said he started the business after he “identified a gap in the market”.

However, he said his clients do not know he has been selling cat meat to them.

According to him, he has a market for cat skins and that he earns at least Sh500 for every cat he slaughters.

“I began this business in 2012 after I saw there was need for the meat by samosa sellers. I tell my clients that I get the meat from Gioto (a popular dump site) but they do not know it is cat meat,” he said.