May 14, GNA - A trader who tried to hide his loaded pistol in a commercial vehicle during Police search has been put before an Accra Circuit Court.

Mubarak Mohammed charged with possessing firearms without lawful excuse, pleaded not guilty.

The court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh remanded Mohammed into Police custody to reappear on May 30.

The court earlier declined Mohammed bail following an application put in by his counsel, Mr Rafael Kofi Bonney.

Prosecuting Chief Inspector Kofi Adu told the court that Police Officers with the Police National Highway Patrol Unit are the complainants.

Chief Inspector Adu said Mohammed lives at Amasaman, Accra. On May 9, at about 11:30am, the Highway Patrol Team was on the Accra Dawenhya-Aflao Route.

The team led by Chief Inspector Innocent Amedaka stopped a Toyota Hiace with registration number GN 738-16 at Dawenhya for routine checks on the vehicle and passengers.

Prosecution said as passengers were alighting Mohammed who was seated in front close to the driver quickly concealed a weapon under the “carpet” covering the dash board of the vehicle.

Another passenger sharing the front seat who saw him alerted the driver who also prompted the Police.

The Police prosecution said found out that the weapon was a Bruni MOD92 pistol with 9mm live ammunitions.

When Mohammed was quizzed he could not produce any documents covering the weapon and denied ownership.