The owner of a horse ranch in southern Zongongia has been imprisoned for fifteen years for the killing of horses and sale of horse meat, which is illegal in Zongongia. The man, named as Jonatan Heikkinen, had been falsifying reports of illness among his horses in order to cover up his slaughter of the animals for a period of over six years, before being caught after a new veterinarian spotted several discrepancies in paperwork from his ranch.
The production of horse meat is illegal in Zongongia, either domestically or for export; while the sale is also prohibited even if the meat is imported. It is believed that Heikkinen had been smuggling meat out of the country via the Lauchenoirian border. In response, the Zongongian government has increased border patrols in the area and lodged a formal complaint with Lauchenoirian authorities over their lack of security on their side of the border, allowing smugglers and other criminals to cross easily.
Prior to his arrest, Heikkinen had repeatedly posted long rants on social media about his disapproval of animal protection laws in Zongongia, and his dislike of what he termed “government overreach”. He is also believed to have been involved in a number of groups that are part of the so-called “sovereign citizen movement” that reject the legitimacy of government, the existence of taxation, and often believe that they are not subject to the law.
Despite this, during his trial, Heikkinen changed his plea to guilty, before telling the courtroom: “I had no choice; I have six kids with another on the way, and we can’t afford food! This government has all these laws on what we can, and cannot do; and apparently survival is on the ‘cannot’ list!” It should be noted that numerous welfare assistance programs exist within Zongongia, and the Heikkinen family had reportedly failed to ever submit applications for these.
After sentencing, the judge told Heikkinen: “you made the choice to reject assistance in the form of welfare programs, and instead chose to slaughter innocent animals. You say you have no money for food, but the evidence does not support your claim. Throughout this trial, you have repeatedly made claims with no basis in reality, showing clear disrespect for this court. I believe there is a high likelihood of you re-offending if you are returned to society, and therefore a prison sentence is most suitable in this case.”
