Kumasi Circuit Court has sentenced a labourer and a trader to 10 years imprisonment for stealing and possessing firearms without authority.

David Apaya, 20, a labourer and Issaka Awuni, 19, a trader pleaded not guilty to the offences.

Apaya was sentenced five years on each charge and is to serve them concurrently, while Awuni is to serve five years for possessing firearm without authority.

The facts of the case as presented by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Doris Amewu to the court, presided over by, Mrs Vivian Helen Amoah, stated that Apaya on July 14, 2013 stole a motorbike from one Sule Mohammed at Buokrom.

She said on that day, Mohammed parked his motor bike in front of his residence at Buokrom, Kumasi and later noticed it had been stolen.

Fortunately, Mohammed’s brother suspected Apaya whom he saw at the vicinity at the time the motorbike disappeared.

Mohammed then lodged a complaint with the police and Apaya was arrested at his hideout at Buokrom.

DSP Amewu said Apaya after his arrest led the police to an abandoned structure where 127 live cartridges were hidden in a lady’s bag.

Interestingly, the police also saw Awuni in the same room and interrogations revealed he was a trainee of Apaya and did not have knowledge of the stolen bike and he was also arrested.

During the trial, Apaya disclosed he sold the bike to one “Inso” who later abandoned the bike at a spot at Dr Mensah, upon hearing that the bike was stolen and all efforts by the court to contact him in aiding in investigations proved futile.

Apaya revealed that he was assisted by one Sule who is currently at large, to steal the motorbike.

They were found guilty and sentenced.