Two junior policemen accused of stealing 16 CZ Assault Rifles from the National Counter Terrorism Armoury in Accra have been remanded into police custody by the Accra Circuit Court 10.

The two, Lance Corporal William Atia Asitanga, aged 32, who has been accused of stealing, and Lance Corporal Sulemana Zanya Abdul-Rahman, aged 27, who is also accused of abetment to steal, have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Nyamekye, who led the prosecution, told the court presided over by Her Honour Justice Evelyn Asamoah that the alleged offence occurred in March 2024.

According to the prosecution, the said crime took place at the National Counter Terrorism Department in Accra, where one of the accused, Lance Corporal Asitanga, has been stationed as an Armourer.

NPP MP alleges 'security intimidation' with sniffing dogs during Ernest Kumi's swearing-in

Per his duties, Lance Corporal Asitanga was responsible for managing the department's arms and ammunition.

However, the disappearance of 16 CZ Assault Rifles from the department's armoury was detected following an internal audit conducted by the service during that period.

Following the discovery of the Rifles' disappearance through the audit, Lance Corporal Asitanga, who had sole responsibility for the weapons, was questioned, but he could not account for them, a development that prompted an instant investigation.

According to the prosecution, its preliminary investigations pointed to the fact that Asitanga had allegedly misappropriated the weapons, while further probe led to the arrest of Lance Corporal Abdul-Rahman as an accomplice.

They even tried to scam me – IGP Yohuno exposes MoMo fraud ring operating from Nsawam prison

Abdul-Rahman, who is stationed at Asiwa, Bekwai District in the Ashanti Region, allegedly aided and abetted the theft, according to the prosecution.

The court has ordered that the accused persons be remanded into police custody to assist the police with their investigations and adjourned the case to August 20, 2025.

NAAB/SEA

Meanwhile, watch below the trailer for GhanaWeb’s upcoming documentary on teenage girls and how fish is stealing their futures: