A suspected member of a cattle theft syndicate operating between Gem, Alego/Usonga and Ugunja sub counties has been arrested at Boro livestock market in Siaya where he had gone to sell a stolen cow.
The 26 year old man whose name was given as Julius Otieno, was arrested by livestock traders at the market who found him with the cow that had been reported stolen at Ndere village in North Gem location.
According to Nyabeda sub location assistant chief, Tom Aruwa, from whose area the cow was stolen, the traders, under the umbrella of the Boro livestock traders held the suspect after he could not satisfactorily explain how he got and alerted members of the public who turned up to try and identify the cow.
“The suspect was roughed up by the public who threatened to lynch him should he fail to name his accomplices and reveal where they hide stolen cows,” said the administrator.
Aruwa told Kenya News Agency that the lead that Otieno provided enabled them to recover one more cow that had been stolen from his sub location at Simenya in the neighbouringUgunja sub county.
He decried the rising spate of stock theft in Gem, Ugunja and Alego/Usonga sub counties, adding that the suspect should be interrogated further to provide information on the members of the syndicate that has been giving the public sleepless nights.
The suspect was locked up at Siaya police station, awaiting arraignment in court on Monday.
By Philip Onyango
