Farmer arrested for shooting animals

Funsi (UW), Jan. 13, GNA - Mr Ali Bapula, a 52-year old farmer, has been arrested by the police and placed in custody for shooting and killing two cows on his farm at Kundungu in the Wa East District of the Upper West region. The suspect is alleged to have killed the animals belonging to Alhaji Donlaa Asumbie, a farmer, who is also the Wa East Constituency chairman of the National Democratic Congress.

Mr Bapula was said to have been guarding his produce on his farm against persistent animal invasion, which he claims had destroyed an estimated 35 bags of harvested maize, when the shooting took place. He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at Funsi that he had on several occasions told cattle owners to keep their animals away from his farm but to no avail.

"I decided to keep watch in my farm last Sunday night and when about forty cattle came into the farm at about 0100 hours and I shot and killed two of them and later reported the incident to the elders of the village". After an inspection of the carcasses the animals, it was ascertained that the animals belonged to the complainant and a report was made to the police. The brother of the suspect, who was initially arrested led the police to the farm to arrest the suspect.