Mason jailed for possessing firearms

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced Abotse Yohanes, a mason, to a month imprisonment and in addition pay GHC1,200 or in default serve six month imprisonment for possessing fire arms without lawful authority.

Abotse was convicted on his own plea. Earlier the convict pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of causing unlawful damage.

The court presided over by Justice Francis Obiri, in delivering the judgement said the convict did not waste the court’s time and shown remorse.

Meanwhile, the court has withdrawn a bench warrant for the arrest of one Samuel Akugre, an Operations Officer, who allegedly aided and abetted Aboste.

Samuel, who reported himself to the police, presented a medical report to the court.

He has since been granted bail in the sum of GHC10,000 with two sureties.

Prosecuting, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Moses Atibilla told the court that the complainant in the case is a chief at Brekusu.

He said the complainant has a parcel of land at Abokobi and recently constructed a fence wall around it.

The prosecution said sometime in June, Samuel met Aboste and asked him to demolish the fence wall, indicating that he (Samuel’s) company owes the land.

He said on June 13, Abotse, who lives close to the site, pulled down the fence wall.

ACP Atibilla said on July 3, the convict was arrested and when his room was searched, a single barrel gun was found and he could not tell the police how he came by the gun.

“In his statement to the police, he admitted having found the gun in the bush," the Prosecution added.