An Accra Circuit Court on Wednesday sentenced one Nii Otto, a farmer to a fine of GH¢ 2,400 for possessing fire arms without lawful authority.
Nii Otto was charged for having in possession one locally manufactured single barrel gun without lawful authority and pleaded guilty.
He told the Court that he is a farmer and inherited the gun from his father who also inherited it from his grandfather but he never used it.
He said the gun had been hidden in his room over the years and was not in use.
Mr Aboagye Tandor, the presiding judge, said he took into consideration Nii Otto’s plea on his first appearance and his ignorance of the acquisition of permit, as well as the fact that the gun is not functional, and that he was a first time offender.
He said the gun was more symbolic to the accused person as in the case of ‘my grandfather’s clock’ than to cause harm.
The Court fined him of GH¢ 2,400, or in default serve a term of three years. It later ordered that the gun be destroyed by the investigator in the presence of the court registrar.
Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kweku Bempah told the Court that the complainant is a policeman stationed at the Amasaman police station while Nii Otto is a farmer residing at Manchie near Amasaman.
He said on July 27, the complainant was among a team of joint police and military patrol men who went to the house of the convict to arrest him in a case of causing unlawful damage which had been reported against him.
The prosecution said after his arrest, a search was conducted on him and the locally manufactured single barrel gun was retrieved from his room.
DSP Bempah said Nii Otto admitted in his caution statement that the gun is his but could not produce documents covering the gun.
GNA
