Initially charged with aggravated theft committed at night, Mr. M. Niang appeared before the Thiès court of summary jurisdiction this Friday. He was suspected of involvement in a cattle theft from a man named Daouda, whose farm is located in Pout.

According to the investigation, the incident occurred at 1:00 a.m. when four individuals scaled the farm wall. Once inside, they surprised the security guard and assaulted him, but he managed to escape. The assailants stole four purebred sheep and some goats.

Alerted, the property owner first launched an appeal on social media to try and find his livestock, before filing a complaint with the gendarmerie. The investigation led to the cattle being located in the possession of the accused, Mr. Niang, who was arrested and then remanded in custody.

In court, the defendant categorically denied any involvement in the theft. He maintained that he had purchased the animals for 850,000 FCFA from a man named Souleymane, residing in the Daral Peulh neighborhood of Thiès. For its part, the plaintiff reiterated its accusations, recounting the circumstances of the nighttime attack and the violence suffered by the animal's caretaker.

In his closing arguments, the public prosecutor stated that it was not possible to definitively establish Mr. Niang's direct involvement in the theft. However, he emphasized that the possession of the stolen livestock was a consistent element. Consequently, he requested that the charges be reduced from aggravated theft to receiving stolen goods. Recalling the defendant's prior convictions, including a five-year prison sentence handed down by the criminal court for aggravated theft with violence, the prosecution requested a four-year prison sentence and a fine of 500,000 FCFA.

The judge ultimately reclassified the theft charges as receiving stolen goods. He found Mr. Niang guilty on this charge and sentenced him to one year in prison and a fine of 500,000 FCFA.