Militiaman arrested in Central Darfur for ‘selling illegal meat’

Police in Nertiti, Central Darfur, arrested a militiaman on Sunday for allegedly selling meat of cows that had died of their own accord. A witness from the city told Radio Dabanga that militiamen brought the carcasses of three cows to the Nertiti market, and “made an agreement with a butcher for the meat to be sold as regularly slaughtered”. When the police questioned one of the militiamen, Musa Willy, he reportedly admitted that the cows were not slaughtered according to municipal regulations but had died of their own accord. He was then arrested. The police subsequently seized the meat and burned it, in the presence of three civilian witnesses, to prevent it from being sold. Sources said that following the incident, the Commissioner of Nertiti locality issued a decree banning the slaughter of cows after 1pm. They explained that before that time, there is a veterinarian on duty to certify that meat is properly slaughtered. File photo: A Darfur butcher (Albert González Farran/Unamid)