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The NSPCA is offering an R20,000 reward for information leading to a successful conviction relating to those who were involved in harming a baboon named Raygun last Friday.
The horrific killing was reportedly at the hands of schoolchildren at Botleng Secondary School in Delmas, Mpumalanga, sparking widespread outrage and concern over animal cruelty.
A heart-wrenching video and graphic images show the wild baboon attempting to flee a crowd on the roof of the Botleng Secondary School before it was cornered, stoned, beaten, and eventually set alight.
According to the NSPCA, Raygun’s body was later mutilated, with his hands, feet, head, and heart cut from his body.
The animal rights organisation is also urging those who filmed the attack to come forward. It is noted that the attack on the animal came after ten children fainted on the school property earlier that day, leading to the belief that the baboon was “sent to cast a spell.”
The community are protecting each other at all costs, making the NSPCA’s investigation incredibly difficult.
“We are horrified by this level of cruelty. Raygun was in search of freedom, in a new territory – something all baboons do instinctively,” says Chief Inspector Douglas Wolhuter, Manager of the NSPCA’s Wildlife Protection Unit.
“No animal should ever endure such suffering and agony”.
The NSPCA has retrieved Raygun’s remains for a post-mortem.
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The charismatic baboon had just won over the hearts of Pretoria East residents after being spotted roaming the area, IOL reported. Local wildlife organisations and residents joined hands to safely relocate him to the Zwavelpoort Valley near Olympus, east of Pretoria.
The Owl Rescue Centre, the South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, and the Pretoria East Joint Operations Centre worked tirelessly to relocate the baboon. Just as everyone was celebrating Raygun’s relocation, he was slain at the hands of the superstitious schoolchildren.
The community promptly started a petition seeking justice for Raygun, which had over 1,926 signatures collected by Sunday to reach a target of at least 2,500 signatures. Dr Tristán Kapp, the founder of the campaign, expressed concern over the recent brutal attack and killing of Raygun.
“This act of cruelty not only reflects on the individuals involved but also raises serious concerns about the school’s oversight and responsibility in preventing such behaviour,” read the petition.
The NSPCA is aiming to fund a large-scale programme to educate children and adults alike about the sentience of animals, their protection under the law, and what to do when wildlife is encountered in built-up areas. Their goal is to have this reach television and radio, even though this comes at a tremendous cost.
“Prosecution, education, or both – justice for Raygun starts with you.”
