Police Sergeant interdicted over alleged sale of AK 47 rifle

Accra, June 15, GNA - The Police Administration has interdicted General Sergeant S.K. Elesem of Tema New Town Police Detachment for his alleged role in the disappearance of an AK 47 assault rifle and 19 rounds of ammunition issued to him for guard duties last January. Sergeant Elesem is being tried for the theft of the rifle before the Tema White House Magistrate Court.

A statement signed by Chief Superintendent D.N. ampah Bennin, Director of Police Public Relations, said on January 25 this year, Sergeant Elesem reported at the Tema New Town Charge Office that the rifle he had taken to his guard duty point at the Dangme Rural Bank, Tema New Town, was missing.

Sergeant Alesem said at about 2100 hours on January 24, he placed the gun under a bench on which he was sitting while he ate. He said when he woke up at 0235 hours on the next day, he realised that the rifle had vanished.

In the meantime, a suspected armed robber, Wisdon Apeke was arrested at the Sogakope barrier with an AK 47 rifle, which was later identified as the missing rifle of the Sergeant.

The statement said Apeke confessed in court that Sergeant Elesem had sold the rifle to him and his colleagues Kwame Akuffo and Alfred Adjei, who together escaped with him from the Tema Railways Police cell on May 2, 2005.

"On the score of the evidence by Akuffo and Apeke, who have been sentenced to prison terms, Sergeant Elesem was rearrested and charged with theft of the rifle and put before the Tema White House Magistrate Court."

The statement said the AK 47 rifle had been recovered and was in the safe custody of the Police.