Court grants three bail for unlawful possession of mining explosives

An Accra Circuit Court has granted a GHC200,000.00 bail with two sureties each to three persons for allegedly possessing mining explosives without authority.

The Court presided over by Mrs Ruby Naa Adjeley Quaison ordered that one of the sureties each should be justified.

Gabriel Armah, 35, system analyst, Samuel Tena Shika, 36, civil engineer and Obed Obuodey Dauty, 25, factory attendant, all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and possession of mining explosives without authority.

They will make their next appearance on Friday, September 6.

Police Inspector Samuel Ahiabor told the Court that the complainants are police officers stationed at the Regional Criminal Investigations Directorate in Accra.

Armah and Dauty both reside at New Fadama whilst Shika lives at Abeka, all suburbs of Accra.

He said on July 8, this year, at about 1410 hours an informant alerted the Accra Regional Police Command that the accused persons had stock-piled mining explosives at a densely populated area at Abeka and offering them for sale to unauthorised persons.

The Prosecution said the complainants feigned interest and contacted Armah on phone that they wanted to buy some of the explosives for mining.

On July 12, after several communications between the complainants and the accused persons, the accused persons offered five sacks of mining explosives for sale, and were arrested together with the exhibits.

Inspector Ahiabor said a search conducted at Armah’s residence revealed four packets of mining explosive caps used in detonating the mining explosives.

He said at about 2330 hours, upon intelligence, police again retrieved 104 sacks of mining explosives and two sacks of mining explosive caps from a house at Abeka Kwame Close which Armah had rented from one Emma to keep the goods.

Armah in his cautioned statement admitted ownership of the exhibits and stated that he had the desire to operate in arms and ammunitions business and that he discussed his plans with one Sarpong who supplied him with the explosives and accessories.

Police Inspector Ahiabor said Armah confessed selling the goods with Sika and Dauty and this led to their arrest.

After further investigations, the three were charged and put before the Court.