A cow meant for the burial ceremony of late Mrs Chinwe Abaraonye of Amakam Eziudo community in Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State has been reported stolen by the family.
According a family source, the cow got missing from where it was tethered just a day to the burial of the deceased on August 23, 2015.
The source said the family is accusing a maternal uncle, one Basil Osuigwe for masterminding the theft of the cow given to the family by a friend of the deceased’s husband to assist in entertaining sympathizers at the funeral ceremony.
He said the family’s suspicion became rife when Basil, a native of Umuagom Ife community in the area approached the family and offered to take the cow to Eke Nguru market where he said he had contacted a friend to assist in butchering and preparing the meat.
The source continued that Basil’s close relationship to the family made the husband to agree for him to prepare the cow.
Trouble however started few hours later when Basil came back and reported that the cow had got missing. He was said to have later told the family that the cow died before it could be butchered and that it had been buried in the market square.
Meanwhile the burial ceremony had taken place without the cow valued at about N145,000, but frantic effort had been mounted by the family to get to the root of the theft with the bereaved family threatening to report the matter to the police if Basil does not show them where the cow was buried.
