The police have arrested a 49-year-old man for allegedly dealing in offensive weapons. Kwame Afrifa was picked up last Friday upon a tip-off for dealing in pepper sprays, tasers and flashlight shockers without authority.
Arrest
At a press briefing in Kumasi yesterday, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Osei Ampofo-Duku, said the suspect was arrested on May 6, 2016 at Asante Mampong.
He said when his shop, which was opposite the Anglican Church in Mampong, was searched, the police found 77 pieces of self-defence flashlights with shockers; 50 pieces of American style NATO super-paralisant pepper spray; 29 pieces of Lachrymater elector GA577 pepper spray and 20 pieces of 2012 night flashlight with shocker.
According to Mr Ampofo-Duku, the items were purely military equipment and could only be sold by authorised and licensed arms and ammunition dealers.
He said the suspect did not have any permit that allowed him to deal in such items although they were self-defence equipment.
Crime wave
The deputy regional commander explained that some criminals in the region had been using the pepper sprays and tasers to disarm their victims and rob them of their items and as such there ought to be a check on the sale and usage of such items.
Further investigation
He said the suspect would be sent to Accra together with the exhibits for further investigations.
He added that the police were more interested in finding how he came by the items and the number of people who had bought them from him.
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