Security Expert, Emmanuel Kotin, has called on authorities to undertake a full investigation and prosecution of officers responsible for the safe keeping of arms and ammunition of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The Ghana Police Service has announced the arrest of Flt. Sergeant Nicholas Owusu Frimpong in connection with the discharge of a firearm at A&C Mall, East Legon, on Friday, December 31, 2021.
The suspect was arrested courtesy of a collaboration between the Police and the Military Police. This followed a Police investigation into a viral video that showed a man firing several shots of a firearm at the A&C Mall in Accra.
Speaking on Happy FM Morning Show with Samuel Eshun, Mr. Kotin, blamed the incidence on officers in charge of the armory at the Ghana Armed Forces for sleeping on their jobs. He noted that there is the need for a review and reinforcement of how weapons should be handled by the Ghana Armed Forces.
“We know officers of the Ghana Armed Forces only receive weapons when embarking on an operation and they even have to sign in upon receiving them, and also sign out when they return the guns. They even account for the bullets used so how did an off-duty officer have the rifle on him?” he quizzed.
Mr. Kotin further explained the processes and procedures for getting a gun from the armory of the Ghana Armed Forces “The type of gun he was wielding was a dangerous weapon and the fact that he had that gun at that time of the night when he was not even wearing a uniform or on duty raises a lot of question. We would’ve recorded a lot of casualties if he had suffered a seizure or had a mental problem.”
Additionally, Mr. Kotin stressed that Flt. Sergeant Nicholas Owusu Frimpong should be punished for unlawfully discharging firearms publicly, adding that thorough investigation should be conducted in order to punish officers in charge of the armory.
“The suspect, Flt. Sergeant Nicholas Owusu is currently detained by the Military Police whilst investigations continue,” the Police statement said.
The man purportedly fired the firearm to welcome the New Year and the Police in its statement also cautioned the public to desist from acts that threaten public safety when celebrating.
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