Wa, Aug. 31, GNA - A Wa based butcher who is already serving a three-year jail term for posing as a soldier and extorting moneys from people, had another four years sentence by the Wa circuit court for stealing a bullock.
Alhassan Salifu, 25, who was found guilty with him for the same offence, also had four years to serve in prison.
They both pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to steal and stealing the animal but were found guilty after the trial by the court, presided over by Alhaji Mohammed Mustapha.
Their alleged accomplice, Abu was however, on the run and the police were looking for him to face justice. Prosecuting, Inspector Stephen Dobara told the court that on March 11, this year at about 2130 hours, some people saw the convicts dragging a huge bullock towards the forest reserve near Konta, a suburb of Wa.
They chased, arrested and handed them over to the police together with the bullock.
According to Inspector Dobara, during interrogation they said the animal was stolen from Kpanamona, a farming community in the Wa District.
They did not finish giving their statements to the police when the owner of the animal, Nashirudeen Alhaji Salia called at the police station to report the loss of the animal.
He had earlier gone to make announcements on the two local FM stations about the missing bullock.
The prosecutor told the court that the complainant identified the animal as his.
According to the complainant, he tied the animal to a tree in his house but it disappeared the following day.