Nigerien jailed for attempting to steal cattle

Sanda Bleku, 27, a Nigerien, who attempted to steal 27 cattle at Kopedeke, a village in the Akatsi District in the Volta Region, was on Monday sentenced to five years' imprisonment by the Aflao Circuit Court.

He pleaded guilty.

Police Chief Inspector Pious Cudjoe told the Court, presided over by Mr Godwin Kwasi-Kumah, that Bleku was a cattle dealer in- charge of the 27 cattle he attempted to steal.

He said on April 11, this year, the cattle owner who lived in the village visited Akatsi and on his return detected that all the 27 cattle in his kraal as well as that of Bleku were missing.

The prosecutor said on reaching Gonikope also in the Akatsi District the complainant met a witness who told him he met Bleku driving the cattle towards Avadre a village not far from Gonikope.

He said when the complainant got to the village, some people had arrested Bleku on suspicion of stealing the cows.

Bleku was then handed over to the Police at Akatsi and the cattle were retrieved.