The Accra Circuit Court ‘2’ presided over by Rosemary Torsu Baah has struck out one of the 10 accused persons, including military officers, standing trial for alleged illicit arm trade.

The court deleted Sampson Novor’s name on Wednesday, March 9, 2022.

At this instance, NO. 201709 Cpl Arafat Kunde (A1), soldier, Mahama Makbool (A2), unemployed, Nancy Ashong (A3), trader, Michael Akwesi Sakyi (A4), Alex Doste (A5), W.O. Rahman (A6), at large, James Mawuena aka James Sedofia (A7), at large, Akwesi aka Upgrade (A8), at large, and Joseph Papa Quansah (A9), at large, would be answering two counts of illicit trafficking in firearms.  

The court has remanded A1 to A5 to reappear on March 22, 22.

The following is the brief facts of the case:

Sometime in January 2022, Police received information that some group of persons were dealing in firearms and ammunition. Upon receipt of the information, Police mounted surveillance on the accused persons.

On 18^th day of February, 2022, Nancy Ashong (A3) was arrested at Fadama a suburb of Accra and a search conducted in A3’s kitchen revealed sixteen (16) boxes of 7.2 x 39mm Ball (24,000 rounds of AK 47 ammunition).

When A3 was questioned at her house, where she got those firearms, she mentioned Mahama Makboo (A2) as the person who kept the boxes of ammunition in her kitchen.

Subsequently, A2 was arrested at his house close to A3’s residence and a search conducted in his room revealed one Smith & Wesson SD9 VE pistol with Serial No. FBU2848.

During interrogation, A2 admitted that he sent the sixteen boxes of the AK47 ammunition to A3’s kitchen for safe keeping.

Makbool further admitted ownership of the Smith & Wesson pistol and mentioned NO. 201709 CPL Arafat Kunde (A1), as the person who supplied him with the ammunition together with two SMG rifles to be sold for him. 

The police later arrested A1 at Kasoa and during interrogation, he admitted having supplied twenty (20) boxes of AK47 ammunition to A2.

However, Al mentioned Ex Lance Corporal Ato Rahman Iddrisu alias W.0. Rahman (A6), formerly with the Ghana Armed Forces as his source.

The investigation further led to the arrest of Michael Akwesi Sakyi and Alex Doste as accomplices.

Investigation has established that A1 is a body guard to A4 (Sakyi). Thus, A4 and A5 had been provided with accommodation on the Spintex road and the said accommodation is also used as an armoury for unlawful activities by A1.

Again, investigation had it that whilst Al was in custody, he managed to contact A4 and informed him of extra ammunition kept in his room at Spintex road.

Subsequently, A4 and A5 managed to moved six [6] boxes [ie. 9000 rounds of AK 47 assault rifle ammunition] from Al’s room to a house at East Airport residential and kept Same in an abandoned vehicle which were later retrieved by the Police. 

Preliminary investigation has established that in addition to the twenty -two boxes of AK 47 assault rifle ammunition retrieved from the accused persons herein, James Mawuena (A7) gave two SMG assault rifles to A1 to be sold.

Consequently, Al handed over the said SMG assault rifles to A2 who successful sold one at the cost of GHC11, 800.00 and returned the other one to Al.

On 9^th March, 2022 at about 4am, the Police has arrested another person in connection with the case.

 The Police so far has retrieved thirty-three thousand [33,000] rounds of AK 47 assault rifle ammunition from the accused persons herein.

Strenuous efforts are being made to located and apprehend the other accomplices including W.O. Rahman, James Mawuena @ James Sedofia, and Joseph Papa Quansah, at large to retrieve SMG rifles and the other boxes of AK47 ammunition. Investigation continue.