Cape Town - Four suspects made a brief court appearance in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court on Monday after their arrest on animal cruelty charges following a brutal attack on a Cape fur seal at Monwabisi Beach, Khayelitsha.
Luxoli Godana, 26, Nyameko Titi, 18, Nkosinathi Ndzendevu, 19, and Sibusiso Zamani, 22, were released on R1 000 bail each and were expected back in court on February 15.
The alleged incident happened on Sunday evening after the Cape of Good Hope (CoGH) SPCA was alerted to a group of men who were observed trying to kill the adult seal by throwing rocks at it while it was trapped and unable to escape.
The City has condemned the attack and confirmed the seal had to be euthanised.
According to a statement by the CoGH SPCA, swift action by a City of Cape Town Law Enforcement officer ensured that the suspects were stopped in their tracks and detained until SPCA inspector Werner Taljaard and trainee inspector Eugene Links could arrive to rescue the seal.
“The seal was rushed to a private 24-hour veterinary practice where it was humanely euthanised due to the severity of injuries it had sustained in the stoning.
“The attending vet reported that the seal had suffered severe facial and skull fractures, was bleeding profusely from the mouth, had one of its eyes crushed and that most of its teeth had been completely broken off in its mouth,” the SPCA said.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk confirmed four suspects were arrested on charges of contravening the Animals Protection Act.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the case against the accused was postponed after their court appearances.
SPCA Wildlife officer Jon Friedman said: “Seeing the broken condition this animal was in when it was carried off the beach made my blood run cold.
“Not in 37 years of working in wildlife welfare have I seen such a case of abject cruelty visited on a defenceless animal that was in all likelihood just minding its own business.”
The CoGH SPCA said according to one of the suspects, who was questioned as to what their motive was in trying to kill the seal, he said that he and a group of friends had “been approached by a traditional healer who pointed out the seal to them and offered them R3 000 to kill the seal”.
SPCA chief inspector Jaco Pieterse said: “We will ensure that justice is served in the name of this seal. Torturing any animal is unacceptable and the suspects must face the full might of the law.”
Cape Times