Forty-three-year-old David Blagodzi, a farmer, has been convicted by the Jasikan Circuit Court to 10 years imprisonment in hard labour for possessing ammunition without authority.

Blagodzi, who appeared before the court, presided over by Mr Michael Johnson Abbey, pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted on his own plea.

The court further ordered that the ammunition be sold, and the proceeds deposited into the Consolidated Fund.

Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth Vicent Kpodo told the Court that the complainant was the Nkwanta Divisional Police Command while the convict was a farmer resident at Chillinga near Nkwanta in the Oti Region.

He said on July 17, at about 1330 hours while the police were on their usual duty point at the Nkwanta barrier on the Nkwanta-Brewaniase Highway, they intercepted a red VW Golf with registration number GE 6527-12 from Brewaniase direction towards Nkwanta with the convict on board.

ASP Kpodo said a search was conducted on the vehicle and police found two cartons containing 250 AAA cartridges and 250 00 cartridges were in the convict’s bag placed in front of him in the front seat.

He said the convict was arrested and was escorted together with the exhibit to the police station for investigation, during which the convict admitted the offence in his cautioned statement.

ASP Kpodo said the convict revealed that he intended to sell the cartridges at Chillinga.

The court, before passing judgment, considered that Nkwanta was a restricted area for the use of arms and ammunition in any form because of the conflict.