Two separate reports on firearms examination tendered

The State has tendered in two separate reports on examinations conducted on some guns, ammunition and ammunition components, through its 11th witness.

The witness, one Mr Richard Antay, a Firearms Examiner, in his evidence in chief led by Mrs Evelyn Keelson, Chief State Attorney, said as a firearm examiner, he basically conducts an examination into firearms like guns, ammunition and ammunition components.

The reports tendered were dated July 12, 2017.

He said in July 2017, an investigator in the case from the Homicide Unit of the Ghana Police Service submitted guns, ammunition and ammunition components for examination.

He said “we conducted the examination and submitted two reports to that effect.”

At this stage, the witness was made to identify a pistol and two magazines; one empty and the other containing live ammunition submitted by the investigator to him.

The witness, who is also a Cadet Officer in the Police service and has been in active service for 28 years, said the investigator in the case also brought a container containing two pellets and an envelope containing one cartridge case.

He said the examination was to ascertain whether the guns were fired or not and whether it has capacity to cause bodily injury.

He said the examination indicated that the guns were fired and they were in good mechanical conditions.

The second report was conducted on two shotguns, where the witness had the opportunity to identify the guns submitted to his outfit for the examination.

During cross-examination by George Bernard Shaw, Counsel for William Baah and others, he asked the witness when he received the two firearms with its components for the examination.

The witness said the first batch came on June 13, 2017, while the second came on June 28, the same year.

Asked, what were the procedures in submitting the guns and ammunition, the witness indicated that the first point of contact would to the Head of the Police Forensic Laboratory before it would be forwarded to his Unit.

The Court presided over by Justice Mariama Owusu adjourned the trial to July 2 for continuation.

Fourteen persons are standing trial at an Accra High Court over the killing of Major Mahama, who was an officer of the 5th Infantry Battalion, at Burma Camp.

The late Major was on duty at Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region when on May 29, 2017, some residents allegedly mistook him for an armed robber and lynched him.

The mob had ignored his persistent plea that he was an officer of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The accused are William Baah, an Assembly member of Denkyira Obuasi, Bernard Asamoah alias Daddy, Kofi Nyame a.k.a Abortion, Akwasi Boah, Kwame Tuffour, Joseph Appiah Kubi, Michael Anim and Bismarck Donkor.

Others are John Bosie, Akwasi Baah, Charles Kwaning, Emmanuel Badu, Bismarck Abanga and Kwadwo Anima.