Ebonyi State Police Command, penultimate weekend arrested one Ikenna Ogbonna Ota, for allegedly stealing a sucking female cow worth two hundred thousand Naira.
It was gathered that the cow belonged to his neighbour, Mr Agbo Thomas and was presented for the burial of his late father-in-law in Ebia Unuphu Community in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The suspect was arrested at Azuoto Okpuitumo Community in Abakaliki Local Government Area, by joint police officers, after the cow owner Mr Agbo had confirmed his ownership of the said cow.
Agbo who spoke to newsmen said he was on routine check on the cow before the day of the neighbour's father inlaw's burial and surprisingly didn't see the cow where it was tied.
According to him, he searched for the cow on the following day but all efforts to recover it proved abortive, adding that he preceded to Ebia Unuphu Community at the family of Okemini Oyibe, where he later saw the cow tied among Fulani cows.
He said he later informed the bereaved family and parents of the suspect, and both parties resolved that the cow would be taken back to Azuoto Okpuitumo on the same day.
Mr Agbo alleged that the suspect had stolen about four mother goats and iron rods among others from his compound.
Upon interrogation by the police, the suspect Ikenna Ogbonna Ota claimed he didn't steal the cow, rather he bought it from one Mr (No Time) inside a bush at Azu-Ebonyi, Amachi Unuphu, neighbouring village to Azuoto Okpuitumo with the sum of one hundred and ten thousand nairas (110,000) in the same Abakaliki LGA.
The suspect revealed that he earlier bargained for a bull from the alleged seller (No time), later he gave him a female cow and he had no option but to collect that one because of time.
It was further gathered that the parents of the suspect, had earlier contributed money and given it to their son to buy a cow for the burial but chose to do otherwise.
All efforts to reach Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) proved abortive at the time of filing this report.
