Court jails 3 for possessing firearms

Tarkwa (W/R) Jan. 23 - GNA - A Tarkwa circuit court, presided over by Mr. John Ajet-Nasam has sentenced three people to a total of 18 years imprisonment for carrying offensive weapons and possessing firearms without authority.

They are a 29-year-old Nigerian, Mohammed Adams, alias Mahe or Burger, a scrap dealer, resident in Kumasi-Aboabo, Amidu Wahab, 24, a citizen of Bawku, a scrap dealer, residing at Madina in Accra and Eric Mensah, 23, a driver who hails from Kete Krachie also residing at Pigfarm in Accra.

Prosecuting, Inspector Oscar Amponsah of Tarkwa Police said the complainant in this case was in Police Night Mobile Patrol Team from Tarkwa Police Divisional Headquarters. He said, on December 21, 2006, Adams travelled from Kumasi to Accra to meet Wahab and Mensah at Pigfarm, in Mensah house. Adams informed Wahab and Mensah that a suspect, Majidu, a scraps dealer at Tarkwa now on the run asked him (Adams) to mobilize men to go to Tarkwa to attack the owner of Ransbet Enterprise, a dealer in general goods at Tarkwa.

Wahab and Mensah expressed interest in the operation. Inspector Amponsah said on December 22, 2006, the three accused persons travelled to Tarkwa from Accra together with their bag containing one loaded Remington Pump Gun, a chisel, a knife, an iron bar and four cello-tapes.

He said on 23rd December 23, 2006, a witness in the case informed the Police about the arrival and intentions of the three accused persons who were in hiding at Tarkwa Railway Station.

The complainant quickly mobilized and drove to the Railway Station at about 2300 hours, on the same date where the accused persons were arrested in a wooden structure.

The bag containing the weapon and the other instruments were found under the bench on which Mensah was sleeping.

The three accused persons were questioned as to their mission at Tarkwa and they told the Police that, they came to buy scraps (alumi). A search was immediately conducted on them and three A262,000.00 tickets from Concern Transport Operators Union, Ghana, Accra - Takoradi were found in one of the pockets of Adams.

No amount of money was found on any of the accused persons to suggest that, they came to Tarkwa to purchase scraps. While the accused persons were on remand, a signal from Nkawkaw Police indicated that the three suspects were involved in a robbery of three hundred million, three hundred and seventy-five thousand cedis at Nkawkaw.

Chief Supt. Daniel Sampana, Tarkwa Divisional Police Commander told Ghana News Agency (GNA) that a signal from Nkawkaw stated that the armed robbers attacked Trans Royal Ghana Limited watchman at gun point and took away the amount together with a safe.

He said some of the suspected armed robbers who were at large included Adams, Wahab and Mensah who were facing trial at a Tarkwa Circuit Court.

Meanwhile, the court has recommended Detective Corporal William Dofeamekpor, Detective Lance Corporal O.J Okyere and Seagent James Dakore to the Inspector General of Police for promotion for the role they played in arresting the three criminals.