Accra, July 25, GNA - Three persons, including two soldiers, were on Tuesday put before an Accra Regional Tribunal for possessing firearms without lawful authority, contrary to the Arms and Ammunition Act. Two of them, Richard Wilson Kwesi Sersah, soldier, and Yusif Alhassan, trader, pleaded not guilty to the charge. They were each granted bail in the sum of 100 million cedis.

The third person, Alexander Kwabena Nkansah, an ex-soldier who is being tried at an Accra Fast Track Court with others for robbery was, however, remanded in prison custody.

The Prosecution told the Court that following rampant armed robberies in the Accra Metropolis, the Regional Police Command mounted an exercise to clamp down on the nefarious activities of the robbers. The Prosecution said on April 18 2005 the Police, acting upon a tip-off, arrested Nkansah and Alhassan, who were on the Police wanted list.

According to the Prosecution, the two accused persons admitted having committed a series of armed robberies in the Metropolis, saying they were using offensive weapons in their robbery operations. The Prosecution said Nkansah led the Police to Sersah's residence at Burma Camp where they retrieved a bag containing one AK 47 assault rifle, which was earlier on reported missing at the Agona Swedru Police Station.

Sersah, the Prosecution said, admitted receiving the bag from Nkansah for safekeeping, but denied any knowledge of its contents.