An Accra Circuit Court has fined a 26-year-old trader GHC9,600 for illegally possessing a locally manufactured firearm and three live cartridges.  

Prince Atakora alias Kofi Atakora would serve a three-year jail term if he failed to pay the fine. 

The court, presided over by Mr. Isaac Addo, indicated that the fine was imposed to offer Atakora an opportunity to reform.  

It further observed that Atakora had been in detention for more than ten months despite being granted bail by the court. 

The court ordered that the Ghana Police Service destroy the firearm in compliance with the Arms and Ammunitions Act.  

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Josephine Lamptey, earlier stated that the complainants in the case were police personnel stationed at the Regional Police Command in Accra. 

On October 10, 2023, the Regional Police Command received information that Atakora had one locally manufactured pistol and was offering it for sale.  

The prosecution stated that after receiving the information, the police went to Achimota Charcoal Station, where intelligence led to Atakora's arrest. He had the locally manufactured weapon and three cartridges. 

During the investigation, Atakora admitted to possessing the pistol and three live cartridges.  

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According to the prosecution, Atakora took the pistol from his late father's room in Mampong Ashanti and carried it to Accra in search of a buyer to pay his wife's medical bills.