Accused persons fate lies on interpreter

Two Burkinabes, who have been charged with possession of firearms before an Accra Circuit Court, would have to exercise patience until the court is able to provide an interpreter before the case could be heard.

The court presided over by Mr Ali Baba had to adjourn the case to July 18, after the prosecution said it is relying on the Court Registry as well as the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to provide an interpreter.

Sare Yacouba, Driver and Suleymane Porgo, Painter are Burkinabes who live and work in Abidjan, in La Cote D’Ivoire. On July 4, they left Abidjan en route to Benin. On July 5, at about 0600 hours they arrived at the Aflao border post to enable them cross to Togo and continue their journey to Benin.

According to the prosecution, the accused persons decided to use the beat nine route and as they got there some youth in the area found them to be suspicious, and decided to conduct a search in their bags and on their bodies.

The search revealed that each of them was carrying a pistol stacked to the trousers at the side of their waist. Further search revealed 32 rounds of nine ammunition in the pocket of Sare.

The youth suspecting the accused persons to be criminals, arrested them and handed them over to the BNI at Aflao for investigation. They were subsequently transferred to the BNI Headquarters in Accra for further action.

The accused persons in the cause of interrogation admitted the offence, and stated same in their statements. Sare further admitted that he bought the pistol in Abidjan to be delivered to one Seidu Abubakar and Abdul Majeed at Zongo Porsec in Benin.