Four Plead Not Guilty

The four persons, including two policemen, alleged to have attempted to sell 50 pieces of pump action rifles on the open market in Accra pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned before a new court.

Also charged, in absentia, is Inspector Jacob Duffuor Oppong of the Arms and Ammunition Section of the Nima Police Station. He has vacated his post and is reported to be on the run.

The accused persons — Inspector Simon Amedekanya of the Tesano Police Station, Corporal Doris Oppong Asante of the Arms and Ammunition Section of the Tesano Divisional Headquarters, Isaac Siada, a trader, and Kwabena Amoah, a driver — were remanded into police custody until July 30, 2009.

They are facing charges of possession of firearms without lawful authority. Mr Mahamadu Iddrisu, the trial judge, was of the view that although the freedom of the accused persons was very important, the issue had security implications, since certain parts of the country, particularly the north, was engulfed in conflicts, with curfew imposed in some areas.

The accused persons had earlier been arraigned before a different court but the Chief Justice’s Secretariat intervened and referred the matter to the current court.

ASP George Abavelim told the court that Siada is a dealer in spare parts, while Amoah is Inspector Oppong’s personal driver.

According to him, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) received intelligence reports on June 12, 2009 that some people were engaged in the illegal sale of firearms near the Achimota Overhead Bridge and dispatched men to the scene.

He said the accused persons were arrested with the guns packed in boxes and investigations revealed that on June 11, 2009, one Obiri Yeboah, a friend of Siada’s, had called Siada on telephone to say that a certain Alhaji wanted some guns to purchase.

As a result, Siada was said to have contacted Inspector Amedekanya for assistance to arrange for the guns and the Inspector also contacted Corporal Asante.

According to the prosecutor, Corporal Asante also contacted Inspector Oppong, who supplied the 50 pieces of guns, after which she, together with Amoah, was assigned to carry them in Inspector Oppong’s Opel Vectra to the point of sale to meet the said Alhaji for inspection and payment.

The accused persons were arrested in the process. The court, however, overruled an application for bail made by the counsel for Inspector Amedekanya that the court admitted the accused persons to bail.

The counsel argued that there was nobody by name Alhaji and that the matter had been orchestrated by the BNI using Obiri Yeboah as an informant.