Blacksmith Remanded For Manufacturing Firearms

An Accra Circuit Court on Friday remanded Kojo Okyere, a blacksmith, in police custody, for manufacturing firearms without lawful authority. Kojo pleaded not guilty to the charge, and would therefore re-appear on Monday, June 2. Chief Inspector Patrick Hanson, prosecuting the case, told the court presided over by Mr Francis Obiri, that on May 26, the police had intelligence report that a blacksmith at Awutu Osimpo in the Central Region, was into the manufacturing of locally made pistols and shot guns. He said it was also alleged that the accused person supplied these guns to armed robbers and land guards for their activities. The prosecution said on May 27, acting upon intelligence report, some personnel from the Anti-Armed Robbery Squad of the CID Headquarters were dispatched to Awutu Osimpo where the accused person was arrested. Chief Inspector Hanson told the court that the accused person was arrested in the course of delivering the weapons on sale at the cost of GH₵800 �Nine locally made pistols, 13 single-barrel guns, seven single-barrel engines, 24 gun barrels, five gun butts, one double barrel gun, three live cartridges and 16 empty cartridge shells were recovered from his workshop,� Inspector Hanson said.