Local authorities at Malek Alel of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state have sentenced four people to two years in prison each after they were caught with stolen cows.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, the deputy county police inspector Marial Makoi confirmed that twenty out of forty-six stolen cattle were recovered and will be handed over to their owners next week.

He said so far more than ten people from villages of Kuel and Wun Ajok in Western Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap states have claimed ownership of the 20 cows recovered.

He said the remaining missing cows will be taken from parents of the four convicts.

The paramount chief of Ajak section who led the recovery efforts, Sultan Ayom Akol Wek Ateny, confirmed that among those four imprisoned was a former SPLA soldier. He said as a community leader he would want the imprisonment terms to be increased to five to seven years to reduce cattle theft.

"Stealing someone's cows or property is a crime and we should not condone these individuals who think they are doing the right things yet they are bringing problems to their people," he said.