AK 47 rifle found in Ya-Na?s car

Chief Superintendent David Asante-Apeatu, a ballistic analyst with the Police Criminal Investigations Department, yesterday told the Wuaku Commission that an AK 47 rifle and ammunition were recovered from the late Ya-Na's Blue Bird saloon car.

He said the ammunition for 30 G 3 rifles and that for 22 AK 47 rifles were found hidden at the front passenger's seat, whilst the AK 47 weapon was discovered in the boot of the car, with registration number NR 1A.

Chief Superintendent Asante-Apeatu was testifying before the Wuaku Commission of inquiry into the Yendi conflict in Sunyani as the 39th witness.

He said the rifle and ammunition were recovered by W/O II Latcher D. Johnson of the Air Force Station in Tamale.

The ammunition and rifle, among others, were tendered in evidence by the witness.

Chief Supt. Asante-Apeatu said he was part of two delegations that were detailed to Tamale after the crisis.

He said the first delegation was a "peace mission" of a government delegation led by Senior Minister, Mr J.H. Mensah, on March 29, 2002.

Chief Supt. Asante-Apeatu said the second mission, comprising a team of police experts, was detailed on April 6, to collect pieces of evidence about the conflict.

He said it was at the Yendi Government Hospital where the police were busily engaged on the identification of dead bodies, after the conflict, when the driver of the late Ya-Na brought the vehicle.

Chief Supt Asante-Apeatu recounted that the Ya-Na's driver approached the Yendi District Police Commander to be escorted to refuel the car so that he could join a convoy to Tamale for safety.

He said clearance was then sought from the General Officer Commanding the Northern Command who ordered that the vehicle should be driven to the police station for safety.

Chief Supt Asante-Apeatu, however, said the police station was found to be unsuitable, "because the car would be parked in open space", so it was finally driven to the barracks of the military detachment in Yendi.

He added that it was at the barracks that the AK 47 rifle and the ammunition were discovered by W/O II Johnson as he conducted a check on the car, he added. Other exhibits tendered by Chief Supt Asante-Apeatu included three component parts of an AK 47 rifle, a magazine of a mark 4 rifle, a quantity of plastic wads and detonated cartridges including shot-gun cartridges.

He said all the exhibits were collected at an armoury at the Gbewaa Palace where many were not used but had detonated due to excessive heat.

Chief Supt Asante-Apeatu stated that the three component parts of the AK 47 assault rifle and some of the detonated ammunition were recovered during a mission by the military to rescue the last two persons in the Ya-Na's Palace. The exhibits were those that were recovered by the military and the police during and after the crisis, he explained.

Chief Supt Asante-Apeatu said three assault rifles were also recovered from one Mohammed Abdul Salam, alias 'red', whilst a fleeing warrior from the Ya-Na's palace threw away an AK 47 rifle at the Yendi Police Station. He stated that fragmented bullets collected around the walls of the Gbewaa Palace also indicated that the assailants were armed with sophisticated assault rifles.

The ballistic expert added that although a cap-gun ammunition was collected at the Gbewaa Palace, no cap-gun was found, but three locally-made daggers were recovered and tendered in evidence.

During cross-examination, he told the commission, "I cannot tell how the AK 47 rifles got to the palace but what I know is that they were recovered by the military during a rescue mission".

Chief Supt Asante-Apeatu added that, "both the AK 47 and G3 assault rifles are imported by the government for the security services and since they have serial numbers, their sources can be traced if good records are kept by their users". He said in reply to a question from Mr Charles Hayibor, leading counsel for the Andanis that cap-guns which are normally used during musketry, and shot guns, are manufactured locally.

The police officer responded to another question from counsel that the armoury of the Ya-Na was also found burnt when the police investigating team visited the burnt Gbewaa Palace and photographs were taken for verification. Chief Supt Asante-Apeatu said he could not tell whether any attempt was made to apprehend the fleeing warrior from the Ya-Na's palace who threw the AK 47 away at the Yendi Police Station, "because I was not at the spot at that time".

He told the commission that the police team also visited the Yendi offices of the Ghana Telecom and the Volta River Authority (VRA) to take statements.

Chief Supt. Asante-Apeatu's testimony was interrupted to allow Colonel Jaswant Mante Wadhwani, a pathologist from the 37 Military Hospital, who conducted autopsy on victims of the conflict, including the late Ya-Na, to give evidence, after which he was allowed to continue.

When the commission asked why the investigators dwelt mostly on the Gbewaa palace, witness answered that it was because the Gbewaa palace was their immediate crime scene.

He, however, added that the investigators went beyond the palace and covered about 100 metre radius around the palace.