Court sentence 3 to 60 days each in jail

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced three accused persons to 60 each days imprisonment for possessing firearms without lawful authority and abetment of crime.

The convicts are Bright Akuholi; undertaker, Godson Ayikpa; driver and Sesi Mensah; farmer.

They had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The convicts pleaded for mitigation from the court.

The court presided over by Aboagye Tandoh, passing sentence said, it would serve as a deterrent to those possessing firearms without lawful authority.

He ordered the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police to destroy the firearms in the presence of the court’s registrar.

Superintendent of Police, Kweku Bempah told the court that the complainants are Police officers stationed at Accra Regional Police Headquarters.

He said on June 11, 2016, the Police had information that Godson had been selling locally manufactured pistols to prospective buyers and had asked Bight and Mensah to purchase one locally manufactured pistol for someone, who was in dire need of one.

He said on the same day, Bright borrowed money from Mensah with the purpose of purchasing the pistol for the purported buyer who is a Police informant, and that the money would be paid back if the pistol delivered to the buyer.

The Prosecution said Bright bought the pistol from a blacksmith at Frankadua in the Eastern, showed it to Mensah and brought it to Accra to be given to the prospective buyer.

He said on reaching Accra, Bright called Godson and together with Mensah, they met at a spot at Madina, where Bright took the other convicts in his taxi and proceeded to Haatso.

On reaching Haatso, Godson called the buyer to meet them for the weapon and whilst the convicts were in the taxi together with the prospective buyer, the Police arrested them with the locally manufactured pistol.

The weapon was retrieved from the socks of Bright.