Police have recovered freshly slaughtered donkey carcasses that were being prepared for local consumption, at a thicket in Kiambu County.
The recovery followed a midnight raid at the scene of the slaughter in the proverbial Kiahiti village in the Gatune sub-location, where over 7 carcasses were found sprawled on the ground.
Earlier, the officers based at the Nachu police post had gathered intelligence on the impending slaughter and arrived at the scene on time as the unscrupulous meat vendors slaughtered the beasts of burden, whose meat finds its way to butcheries and meat joints in the city disguised as beef.
Residents in Kiahiti had complained of their sleep being disrupted by the insistent onomatopoeic sounds of donkeys in distress ho, hii, hoo hiiii, hooo hiiiii, brrrrrr!!!! as they were led to the scene to face the axe.
The officers also discovered that after slaughtering the animals, the unscrupulous traders extract boneless meat from their carcasses which is sold to meat lovers in the city exorbitantly, disguised as beef fillets and other boneless chops.
No flesh is left to waste as the traders also package the donkey intestines, kidneys and other internal organs which are sold to outlets dealing in popular roadside delicacies, mutura, supu and matumbo.
City residents in populous estates including expectant mothers throng these outlets for a taste of the delicacy that is surprisingly rare to find and is sold at a reasonably low price.
A manhunt for three suspects who escaped from the scene is currently underway.
