Trader charged for possessing firearms

An Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday remanded Alfred Okonta, a trader, into prison custody for possessing firearms and a narcotic drug without lawful authority.

The accused, who pleaded not guilty, is to re-appear on September 17.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patrick Morkeh told the Court that the complainants in the case were detectives from the Police Regional CID, led by Sergeant Daniel Ocran.

He said the accused is a trader and a resident of Caprice, a Suburb of Accra.

The prosecution said the Police had information that the accused person had in his possession firearms, which he rented out to criminals in the Accra Metropolis.

He said the Police armed with this intelligence, secured a search warrant from the District Magistrates’ Court, Adjabeng, to search the room of the accused.

DSP Morkeh said during the early hours of August 31, 2013 a team of detectives went to the house of the accused and conducted a search in his presence, after the accused had subjected the detectives to thorough body search before allowing them entry into his room.

He said in the course of the search, two locally made pistols, concealed in a black polythene bag were found.

“A quantity of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis concealed in a brown cement paper together with five white paper wraps of dried leaves all suspected to be cannabis were recovered from his room,” he added.

He said even though the exhibits were found in the room, the accused vehemently disowned them.

“All the dried leaves suspected to be cannabis are being forwarded to the Police forensic Laboratory for analytical examination and report,” he said.

Source: GNA