Police confirm seizing AK 47 at Talensi but...

The police have confirmed that an AK 47 assault rifle was intercepted on Tuesday during the parliamentary by-election at Talensi in the Upper East region of Ghana.

According to the police, it was seized from someone who was authorised to carry the weapon but the said person did not have any official duties in the area hence the seizure of the weapon.

A number of dangerous weapons such as machetes and an axe were intercepted by the police in the Talensi constituency during voting on Tuesday.

They were intercepted at police checkpoints at Tongo, the capital of Talensi following a search on vehicles entering the town.

Chief Superintendent of Police, Naa Hamza Yakubu who is Head of the Formed Unit of the Police Service told Accra based radio station, Starr FM that, “the person the weapon was intercepted from was authorised to carry it but from our checks he was not supposed to be doing any official thing with the weapon here and so we are keeping it.”

“What we are saying is that, so far it is believed it is not illegally possessed but then what we are saying is that, if you have not been detailed for duty officially here with the weapon, we will take possession of it and that is what we have done.”

The police officer however refused to name the said person the weapon was seized from except to say that investigations were still ongoing.

Asked where the person was, he said, “the person is somebody we can easily contact. What I’m saying is we believe the person has the authority to carry the weapon but then we are saying that, we do not have on record that he is supposed to be having the weapon here for any specific duty,” Chief Superintendent Yakubu said.

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“I believe you can see our mood. We aren’t going to be complacent, we have no relaxation until it's over. We are going to keep vigilance as long as one week after all these things. I’ve told you it's not over until it's over. By our operation orders, we are going to remain on the grounds as long as it is over,” the police officer told the radio station.

There were reports of violence during the elections. Eyewitnesses told Graphic Online's Correspondent, Vincent Amenuveve that occupants of a Nissan Patrol vehicle with registration number GN 1812 11 fired gunshots at occupants of a mauve-coloured Nissan pick-up with registration number GT 7220 10 suspected to be NPP followers.

The eyewitnesses claimed occupants of the Nissan pick-up managed to flee the scene to rally their supporters to return the attack.

The by-election was won by the NDC’s B.T. Baba who polled 10,366 votes representing 42.31 per cent as against that of the NPP’s Mr Wuni Thomas Pearson Duanab, who got 6,845 representing 27.94 per cent.

The People's National Convention candidate Dr Wumbeogo Michael Duanab, a lecturer at the School of Allied Sciences at the University for Development Studies (UDS) and third time contestant for the seat came third with 6,836 votes representing 27.90 per cent.

The rest of the results; are Mr Joseph Toatoba of Progressive Peoples’ Party (PPP) 214; Independent People’s Party, Denis Atiah Tambil, 38; James Doubil of New Vision Party, 93; Yaro Bameezina Philip of Ghana Freedom Party, 58; and Isaac Kumgazore of United Progressive Party, 49

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Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh