Three more people in court for unlawful possession of firearms

Accra, June 8, GNA - Three more persons were on Wednesday brought before a Circuit Court in Accra for conspiring with three others to procure firearms and ammunition without lawful excuse. They are Ransford Dotse, an Artist, Togbe Asimanu IV, a Clearing Agent and Mankrado of Alavanyo-Dzogbeze and Kofi Setsoafia also known as Alhaji Mustapha Kabila, a Businessman and a Butcher. Togbe Asimanu faced a second charge for abetting with Abudullai Umar Atakora, a Telephone Bill Distributor, Ernest Adorsoo, a Student and Agaga Ekweiy to procure arms.

On June 6, the same Court remanded three persons - Atakora, Adorsoo and Seth Kumako, self-employed, charged with conspiracy and unlawfully possession firearms and ammunition. They pleaded not guilty. Two members of the group Maxwell Kudjoe Ketsi, a Welder and Agaga Ekwiey are at large. At Wednesday's sitting, Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr Patrick Frimpong told the Court that as part of a plan by a group of people to acquire arms and ammunition for illegal purpose Dotse linked up with Atakora, Abdullai and Ketsi.

Setsoafia, who also became member of the group, was tasked to go to the Northern part of Ghana with 1.5 million cedis to scout for price quotations of the arms and ammunition. Prosecution said Setsoafia had the price quotation ranging from 9 million cedis to 20 million cedis. In early May this year, Togbe Asimanu, who was part of the group went with Atakora and Adorsoo, to Alavanyo in the Volta Region and bought them two locally manufactured weapon and a bazooka gun at a cost of 16 million cedis.

Prosecution said efforts were underway to retrieve the weapons while investigations continue. The case was adjourned to June 20, 2005.