By PHILIP ORWA

KENYA: A wedding ceremony turned a farce when policemen invaded the venue in Butula, searching for a stolen cow.

The rude intrusion sent the family, relatives and friends scampering for safety leaving the bridal couple with egg on their face.

The police, having been tipped, arrived demanding to see the couple. In the ensuing consultation, it emerged that the cow that guests were waiting to feast on had been stolen, and the police had come to confirm the allegations.

Hooves

Without much ado, the police insisted that they were not there to settle a dispute. All they wanted was to see the head and the hooves of the slaughtered cow before making any decision.

“We have been informed that the cow that was slaughtered here is a stolen one, which we have been looking for. We would like to see the head and the hooves to confirm the allegations of the owner,” the head of the operation told the couple.

The couple obliged and showed the police where they had slaughtered the cow.

“Here is the hide of the cow that we slaughtered and here are the hooves, you can verify.

“We bought the cow in the market because we anticipated many guests,” the couple informed the police.

When the owner of the lost cow, who was in the police vehicle, came to check, he confirmed that the head and hooves belonged to his cow, spelling doom to the celebrations.

Exhibit

The jubilant guests were in shock. The police then proceeded to do the unthinkable; they impounded the meat that was cooking as exhibit in court.

“They have taken the meat and the pilau that was being cooked leaving us hungry.

The aroma from the kitchen was inviting, and now we have been left with nothing,” Amos, one of the guests, whined to this writer.

The police said they were looking for the person who had stolen the cow and sold it to the wedding organisers to arraign him in court.

The guests had to share chicken and other food, and cursed police for messing up the celebrations.