Latest update February 22nd, 2025 2:00 PM
Latest News
- $277.9M Mabaruma Magistrates’ Court commissioned at Mabaruma
- Min. Indar scolds contractors over unsanctioned works days after VP Jagdeo called out ministry’s shoddy management of construction sites
- White House expects Ukraine to sign critical minerals deal soon
- Simplify cash grant distribution processes
- Peacemaker chopped after intervening in argument
Rustlers wreak havoc in East Coast Berbice
Cattle farmers in the No. 19 area are at their wits’ end and are calling on the authorities to help as cattle rustlers continue their rampage.
The latest hit occurred between Wednesday April 18 and April 19 on the cattle farm of Leslie Budhoo, called Milkman and Breds, of No. 19 Village. Three of his cows were stolen and slaughtered.
According to his brother-in-law Manoj, the man penned his cattle around 17:00 hrs on Wednesday evening at Suzannah and left for his home. On Thursday, he went on his usual rounds to check on his animals and to do some milking. To his shock three of his cows were missing.
Pictures of the slaughtered cows - heads, skins and the unborn calf still in the cow guts.
Manoj stated that Budhoo contacted him and together with others, they decided to mount a search. He stated that about a mile away in the No 11 Lewis Manor area they made a gruesome discovery; they found two cow heads, guts and skin in a trench. One of the cows was heavy with calf and the unborn calf was found nearby.
In all they found two heads, three skins and three set of guts and the still born calf nearby.
“All the cows are milking cows”, Manoj said. “The persons who committed such acts are criminals”, he added. The animals were valued at over $600,000. The police were contacted and are carrying out investigations. No one has been arrested so far.
Another brother-in-law, Steven Saul, of Don Robin farm, suffered a similar fate on Good Friday. He stated that he rears over 100 head of cattle about half-mile away at Chadwick farm.
He said that he rounded up his cattle on Holy Thursday evening and left for home. On Good Friday morning when he went to do his usual chores he notice his cow pen broken and two of his best milking cows missing. He decided to follow a trail and was horrified with what he saw.
The place was full of blood and messy. He further discovered one head, two sets of guts and one skin strewn about. The cows all had young calves that were dependent solely on the milk for their survival.
He stated that a report was made to the police who subsequently visited the scene. A suspect was identified and the police made a check on the suspect’s premises at Rose Hall Town. They found meat in the man’s freezer. The beef was full of mud and vegetation (grass and black sage and other shrubs) similar to those found at the scene where the cows were slaughtered.
The beef was seized and taken to the Central Police station and later confirmed by a Veterinary officer as that of the same animals slaughtered. He stated that the calves might not survive since they are not using milk from the other cows. He put his losses at over $300,000.
Saul is disappointed that the man was released the next day and has not been charged as yet. When he checked with the police he was told that the file is with the DPP.
The men depend on the animals for their living and are calling on the relevant authorities to do something. The residents have put their loss at millions of dollars. They stated that they are losing all the time. They have lost goats, sheep and poultry and are appealing for help.
One resident stated that all the Home Affairs and Agriculture Ministers are doing is just talking. They are not assisting at all. The residents have threatened to take matters into their own hands and do something.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The clock and the cloud
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- Time, as the ancients knew, is a trickster. It slips through the fingers of kings and commoners... more
CARICOM Nations Should Respond Together To new U.S. Policies
By Sir Ronald Sanders Ambassador to the US and the OAS, Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News-Two Executive Orders issued by U.S.... more
Weekend Cartoon
