Man Who Admitted to Skinning More Than 1,000 Cats, Selling Meat to Samosa Vendors Handed 3-year Prison Term

A middle-aged man who was on Sunday busted by residents at an open field in Nakuru slaughtering a cat has been handed a three-year prison sentence.

When he was caught, James Mukangu Kimani confessed to skinning more than 1,000 cats over the past seven years and selling the meat to samosa vendors in Nakuru town. He said he made over Sh500,000 from the business.

"I have ready clients who I have been selling the cat meat to for close to eight years," the 34-year-old man confessed.

"There's always a high demand of the cat meat but I have always failed to meet it due to lack of cats in my area. For the close to eight years, I have skinned over 1,100 cats. It was hard when I started the business but my clientele has grown," Mukangu said.

Appearing before Chief Magistrate Benard Mararo on Monday, the suspect pleaded guilty to selling cat meat.

The charge sheet read that Mukangu skinned a cat for human consumption "in a manner deceptive in regard to  its character, nature, value, substance, quality and merit contrary to the Foods, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act."

He was also charged with slaughtering the animal in a non-designated area contrary to meat control regulations.

The judge handed him a two-year prison sentence or a Sh200,000 fine for the charge of slaughtering the cat for the purpose of human consumption and another one-year or Sh50,000 fine for the second count of slaughtering the pet in an undesignated place.

He will serve the sentences consecutively.