Forget the turkey, he was going to have zebra for thanksgiving. Do you ever think about the meat you eat? While we all love delicacies such as crocodile, rabbit, ostrich and the usual cow, chicken and goat meat, every imagined what zebra meat would taste like?
A man identified as Samuel Gitome from Nakuru county was today afternoon arraigned in court and charged for being in possession of zebra meat contrary to the Wildlife Conservation Act.
Appearing before Chief Magistrate Josephat Kalo, Mr. Gitome was charged for possession of zebra meat weighing 208 kilograms worth Ksh. 83,200 found on November 21 at Soysambu Ranch in Mabruk, Nakuru County.
The suspect was charged together with others who were not before the court but he denied the charges and pleaded to be released on reasonable bond terms claiming that he was framed in the matter. The other suspects managed to escape leaving behind two motorbikes and eight manila bags stashed with zebra meat.
According to the court hearing, the man was found in possession of the meat by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers who were on patrol after they received a tip off from members of the public.
The accused was unable to produce documents permitting him to have game meat forcing the officers to make the arrest.
According to police, the meat is believed to be ferried to butcheries in Gilgil and Nakuru towns and sold to unsuspecting customers as there is huge demand for meat during the festive season.
Since the sale of wild game meat was banned in Kenya in 2004, zebra, giraffe, buffalo, wildebeest, antelope are no longer sold.
The magistrate, in his ruling, released the accused on a Ksh. 1 million bond or an alternative cash bail of Ksh. 500,000 pending mention of the matter on Friday.