Driver jailed nine months for possessing live ammunition

Accra, (Greater Accra Region) 12, Oct. '98 Elisha Teye Mensah, a driver, was today sentenced to nine months' imprisonment in hard labour by an Accra circuit tribunal when he pleaded guilty to possessing 7.62 calibre catridges of AK 47 rifle without authority.

Mensah, 27, told the court that one "Seaman," a sergeant at Burma Camp, gave him the catridges. Mensah was arrested last September 28, at the main security check point at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons for concealing the ammunition in his socks

He confessed to the offence but said he was himself "surprised and confused" as to how he put the ammunition into his socks and went to the Prisons, in an attempt to visit his brother who, the prosecution said is a " condemned armed robber".

Mensah gave the this explanation when the court wanted him to name the source of supply of the ammunition.

The tribunal, chaired by Mrs Frances Owusu-Arhin found the explanation unacceptable and added that the accused intentionally did not want the Police to know the source of supply of the ammunition.

On interrogation, the accused said it was "Seaman" who gave him the ammunition but he was unable to lead the Police to trace that person. GRi