THE SILVERDALE CASE: MENGI INFLICTS BARBARIC SUFFERING ON INNOCENT ANIMALS

On 11th May 2006 Veterinary Officers were called to Silverdale Farm where Benjamin Mengi and his wife Millie unlawfully keep a large herd of cattle, goats and sheep. The animals were found to be dying from malnutrition and disease. Zonal veterinary offer Dr. Swai confirmed that the animals were in appalling condition and were infected with Foot & Mouth Disease.

On questioning Mengi's staff Dr.Swai established that the problem had existed since January 2006. On asking Mengi’s staff why they had not been reporting the deaths or attempting to bury the animals, they stated that Mrs. Mengi had been repeatedly told of the appalling conditions the animals were in and they had been given instructions to leave the animals to die and leave the carcasses to rot around the farm. The staff stated that no medications or inoculations had been supplied to them to administer to the animals and no attempt was being made to feed them properly or assist them overcome the disease or alleviate their suffering.

Dr. Swai reported that premises hygiene was poor due to bad management. He found the animals to be ill attended and in bad condition. No segregation was taking place and no veterinary care was being administered to the animals. A quarantine oreder was put in place immediately. The Mengis ignored the quarantine order, continued to remove milk from the farm for public sale and put no sanitation methods in place. They made no attempt to treat the which were just left to die under the most appallingly cruel conditions.

Mrs. Mengi, issued court proceeding againts Stewart Middelton stating he was killing the animals and of forging the quarantine order.

Mengi's staff continued to milk foot & mouth
infested animals and remove the milk from the farms in breach of ther quarantine order. The government did nothing!!!!!

Note diseased teats of the animal!

British investor Sarah Hermitage, Mr. Middleton’s wife, treated the animals saving many of their lives. Each day, Ms. Hermitage sent a report and photographs of the treatment to former Minister of Investment & Enpowerment Dr. Juma Ngasongwa, Minister of Investment, Planning & Empowerment as proof of her treatement.

Ms. Hermitage states, ‘never in my enitre life have I seen such brutal and avoidable suffering inflicted on inncoent creatures. Whilst I was breaking my back saving the animals, the Mengis were in court stating my husband was killing them. On one day, I was treating a dying cow on the farm and Mengi brought the Officer in Charge of Moshi Police to the farms stating that we were stealing the animals. He walked past the dying cow and ignored it. This was truly, savage behaviour. These creatures were innocent and deserved some respect in their helpless state of ill health. I was not prepared to let them die and really could not care about the stupid allegations of either of the Mengi’s.

The Mengis refused to bury their animals in accordance with the quarantine order leaving them to rot on the farm. District Veterinary Officer Kweka refused to administer the order stating he had been threatened by Mengi. Mr. Middleton, at his own expense effected burials under the supervusion of district livestock officers due to Kweka’s refusal to carry out his duties. The animals were simply used as an instrument of harassment towards the investors by the Mengis.

What kind of person inflicts this suffering on animals?

Animal left to rot and stink less than 100 meters from the investors home. The Mengi's refused to bury the carcass in accordance with a state issued quarantine order.