Roger Nyarko, 62 years and a trader, is standing trial for offering GH¢15,000.00 bribe to influence a police officer to conceal a crime – illicit trafficking of firm arms and ammunition.
Nyarko attempted paying the bribe to the officer, after the Accra Regional Police, upon a tip-off, arrested Dele Fascaro, a 50 years old driver, with 315 boxes of cartridges and 35 Jojef Magnum Pump Action guns at Achimota Mile 7.
The ammunitions and pump action guns were allegedly being transported to Nigeria for financial, material or some other benefits.
According to the prosecuting officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Maxwell Oppong, Nyarko visited the crime scene while the officers were conducting a search on the truck that Dele was allegedly using to convey the fire arms to induce them with money.
The prosecuting officer told the Accra Circuit Court ‘9’, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquire yesterday that, the arresting officers collected the amount (GH¢15,000.00) as exhibit, before apprehending him.
ASP Oppong told the court that Nyarko disclosed to the officers that a big man sent him to bribe the police with the money.
Nyarko has, therefore, been accused of giving bribe to influence a public officer, a crime contrary to Section 252 of the Criminal offences Act 1990 (Act 29), but has pleaded not guilty to the offence.
Roger Nyarko is on trial together with Dele Fascaro and Daniel Obeng, 70 years and a arms dealer.
Dele and Daniel had also pleaded not guilty to possession of arms and ammunition without authority, illicit trafficking in explosives, firearms and ammunition and count of attempts to commit certain crimes.
With the exception of Dele, who the prosecution claimed do not have a fixed place of abode and a flight risk, the two others were granted bail in the sum of GH¢20,000 each with two sureties who are government workers, earning not less than GH¢1,500 a month and also live within the jurisdiction of the court.
Nyarko and Daniel were ordered to report to the police twice very week till the end of the trial.
The court further ordered that the truck, which Dele was in charge of, the ammunition and guns should be impounded by the police and kept in the custody of the Greater Accra Regional Headquarters till the end of the trial.
The brief
In the brief facts presented by ASP Oppong, the complainants in the case are police officers from the Accra Police Headquarters, adding that Dele is a Nigerian while Nyarko and Daniel are Ghanaians.
He said on October 15, 2022, the Accra Regional Police Command received information that a Benz truck with registration No. GS 8603-13 was carrying concealed boxes of ammunition and pumps, which would be from Accra to Lagos.
The prosecutor added that the Regional Police Headquarters,acting on a tip-off, dispatched a team of officers led by ASP Nafiu Shittu to the scene and had Dele Fascoro arrested, they had searched the truck, and found boxes loaded with cartridges concealed in hidden compartments created beneath the truck.
He said whilst the arresting officers were searching the truck, Nyarko arrived and with a cash of GH¢15,000.00 to offer to the arresting officers in a bid to conceal the crime.
The arresting officers collected the GH¢15,000.00 and, subsequently, arrested Nyarko and handed him over to the Regional CID together with the exhibits, including the truck.
ASP Oppong narrated that when the truck was sent to the Regional Police Headquarters for further search in the presence of Dele and Nyarko, the officers found a total of 315 boxes of cartridges and 35 Jojef Magnum Pump Action guns in the hidden compartment of the truck.
After this discovery by the police, Dele alleged admitted the offence of possessing cartridges and Pump Action guns without authority but revealed that it was Daniel who organized people to load and conceal the cartridges and Pump Action guns in the truck to be taken to his “Boss”, Henry Chuku alias Suzu, who also is an arms dealer in Nigeria.
Dele also mentioned another accomplice by name Taye Naja who would be driving the truck with the arms from to Nigeria but managed to escape before the arrival of the police.
The court was further told Dele police to a house at Achimota Mile 7 and identified Daniel as the one who sold the weapons and cartridges to him and further organized people to load and conceal the exhibits in the truck.
Dele also led police to a storeroom where 70 year old Daniel keeps his cartridges and guns.A total of 426 Pump Action gun handles and 39 Pump Action gun butts were retrieved from the said storeroom in the presence of Dele and Daniel.
The prosecutor informed the court that efforts are underway the accused persons’ accomplices.
