A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Minna, Niger State, has convicted and sentenced a dismissed Police Inspector, Yahaya Mohammed, to two years in prison over alleged theft and sale of AK-47 magazine and ammunition to suspected armed bandits.
It was gathered that the convict, who was in-charge of armoury at the Niger State Police Command Headquarters, conspired with Ndaman Gana who is also an officer in-charge of the armoury department, to commit the offense.
The dismissed policeman was arraigned on a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and theft of AK-47 magazine, and unlawful sale of AK-47 magazine and ammunition.
The Police Prosecutor, Ahmed Sa’idu, DSP, told the court that the offense contravened sections 97, (2), 288 (l) of the Penal Code.
The Police First Information Report (FIR), disclosed that information was received from a reliable source from the Department of State Service (DSS), attached to Rafi LGA in Niger State, “That some unknown persons transported goods inside Ghana must go bag suspected to be arms to Kagara Motor Park.
“Police detectives swung into action and arrested you, ex-Inspector Yahaya Mohammed, a police officer formerly attached to department of operations; Second in-Command at the State Amoury, Minna.
“During police investigation, you, ex-police Inspector conspired with Ndaman Gana, officer in-charge of the state armoury attached to department of operations OPS, Minna and both of you stole 22 magazines and 61 live ammunition of different caliber, property of the Niger State Police Command.
“Both of you sold the magazine at the rate of N1000, also, each ammunition was sold at the rate of N650 to one ex-Corporal Sani Mohammed, formerly attached to MOPOL 12 Minna.”
Consequently, when the charge was read to Mohammed by the presiding Chief Magistrate, Hajiya Fati Umar Hassan, he pleaded guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor then urged the court to invoke the provisions of Section 190 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Niger State by convicting him summarily and quickly, saying the convict was diagnosed with cough hemophiliacs.
The Chief Magistrate, Hajiya Fati Umar Hassan, while delivering her judgement, expressed disappointment at the attitude of the convict as a police officer tasked with the responsibilities of protection of lives and property of the citizens.
She then directed that the dismissed police officer should be taken to Chanchaga Leprosium Colony to serve his jail term if he could not pay the fine.
