Grenade suspects plead not guilty to charges
Two persons who were arrested with seven Russian hand grenades at Kwashieman in January 2018 on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to charges of possessing explosives and firearms.
Ismaila Ali Musah 31, and Abdul Karim Yakubu 30, denied the charges when they appeared before an Accra High Court presided over by Mr Justice Charles Ekow Baiden.
The two suspects are expected to be given a jury trial made of seven jurors following their committal to stand trial at the High Court by a Magistrate court.
The court, Prosecution and defence counsels are expected to hold a case management conference after which the trial would commence with the prosecution calling six witnesses.
The matter has been adjourned to March 18.
The prosecution is led by Mrs Sefakor Batsa, a Senior State Attorney whiles the accused persons would be represented by Mr Bernard Shaw.
The case of the state is that Musah was domiciled in Libya whilst Yakubu was his childhood friend and that on January 15, last year, the Police arrested Yakubu with a bag containing the grenades.
The state said according to Yakubu, the said grenades were given to him by Musah who had just returned from Libya.
The Prosecution said Musah also stated that it was Yakubu who asked him to purchase the grenades and some pistols for him and so managed to transport the items through the Togo-Ghana border.
The state said Yakubu confirmed to the Police that it was he who asked Musah to purchase the grenades and pistols for him.
The Prosecution said Yakubu told investigators that he procured the items for one Tanko and Amadu who live in Bimbilla.
Prosecution said although Yakubu paid for the pistols he however could not afford to pay for the seven grenades.
She said on his way to deliver the hand grenades in Accra, Yakubu was picked up by the Police.
The prosecution said a technical report on the seven grenades indicated that they originated from Russia and they could kill or injure people when its strip are mistakenly or intentionally removed.
Source: GNA