An independent disciplinary committee has found a Potchefstroom vet guilty on two charges of contravening SA Veterinary Council rules for refusing to hand over evidence and reports relating to the criminal charges against National Council of Provinces chairman Thandi Modise. Dr Sameer Abbas's licence was suspended for six months when he was found guilty of unprofessional conduct. The sentence was suspended for two years.The case came to light in July with the discovery that animals were starving on a farm owned by Modise in Modderfontein, near Potchefstroom.According to the National Council of SPCAs, pigs were left to eat the carcasses of other pigs and drink their own urine.Sheep, geese, goats and ducks were among the more than 100 animals found dead on the farm. It was alleged that they had been without water and food for up to a fortnight.Criminal charges were laid against Modise. According to the police the case is still being investigated.Andries Venter, head of the National SPCA's farm animals protection unit, testified at the Veterinary Council hearing that he had asked Abbas to assist in the investigation.Abbas, he said, had taken photographs and tissue samples for analysis which the NSPCA expected would form the basis of his report relating to the criminal charges against Modise.But Venter said Abbas told him by e-mail that he no longer wanted to be involved in the matter.NSPCA CEO Marcelle Meredith said: "The issue is that we took on the services of a veterinarian who has broken a contractual agreement. His first concern should be the welfare of the animals. He failed to do that."..