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The Dansoman Divisional Police Command is holding a 32-year-old man for allegedly possessing military accoutrement and guns without lawful authority.

The suspect, Bernard Ayi Amegavi, whom the police described as a gun runner, is said to have been posing as a soldier in his neighbourhood, with many people referring to him as such.
He is also said to be involved in a number of fraud cases before the Mamprobi Police in Accra.

A father of three and resident of Mamprobi, Amegavi was arrested while the police were investigating some fraud cases levelled against him by some chiefs.

Although the police would not give details about the fraud cases, they said Amegavi was also being held for defrauding some high-profile personalities.

He allegedly told the police that he was a fetish priest who kept guns for people.

Arrest

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Dansoman Divisional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mr Antwi Tabi, said Amegavi was arrested on a tip off by a joint team of police personnel from Mamprobi and Korle-Bu at Mamprobi in Accra last Monday.

A search in his room led to the retrieval of a pump action gun, a pistol and some military accoutrement, including an Army uniform with the name Amegavi embossed on it, two pairs of boots, a belt, a camouflage shirt and a muffler.

Mr Tabi said Amegavi, who is a known land guard at Amanfrom and its environs, was also suspected to be involved in robbery activities.

He said intelligence gathered by the police indicated that Amegavi supplied weapons to robbers, land guards and other criminals for their activities.

Conflicting reports

During interrogation by the police, Amegavi is said to have given conflicting reports about the source of the items in his possession.

In one instance, he claimed the guns were given to him by two persons for safe keeping, while in another he said the weapons were for a woman whom he failed to identify.

On the uniforms, he told the police that he was a soldier in the Ghana Armed Forces but deserted at the rank of Lance Corporal in 2010.

However, the uniform which was found in his possession bore the rank of a sergeant.

Mr Tabi said Amegavi, who has been charged with a first degree felony of possessing arms without lawful authority, would also stand trial for possessing military accoutrement without authority.

He said an official letter had been sent to the Military Police Unit of the Ghana Armed Forces to ascertain the suspect’s claim that he was once a soldier.