The Tarkwa Circuit Court has fined an excavator operator and a student GH￠2,400 each for possessing fire arms without authority and carrying offensive weapon.

Isaac Adu, alias Alvaro, 21 and his accomplice, 17 (student), who pleaded guilty to the offence, would each serve three years imprisonment in hard labour in default of the fine.

Prosecuting, Superintendent of Police, Juliana Essel-Dadzie, told the court, presided over by Hathia Ama Manu, that the Regional Formed Police Unit (RFPU) Prestea District Command Base, were the complainants, while the accused persons were residents of Prestea Himan in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality.

On May 14, 2023, at about 1230 hours, the complainants were on their usual night patrol duties and chanced on Adu and his counterpart on the main road leading to the Prestea Secondary/ Technical School campus and they were accosted.

Supt Essel-Dadzie said a search was conducted on them but Adu resisted and was overpowered.

A locally manufactured pistol with two live BB cartridges, an empty cartridge shell and a knife were retrieved from them.

The prosecutor said during investigation the two alleged they went for hunting expedition but later stated that they were going to a mining site to operate an excavator machine.

After investigations, the accused persons were charged with the offence.