The accused
Two persons have appeared before an Accra circuit court for illegally selling fuel in gallons without authority at Alajo in Accra.
They are Razak Karimu, 35, driver and Shamsudin Sullemana, 25, self-employed.
The two are reported to have on May 9, 2017 conspired and sold petroleum products without licence from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).
Fifty pieces of the 20-litre gallons containing fuel packed in a VW van with registration number GT 7869 H, were impounded in the course of the arrest, the prosecutor, Chief Inspector K. Adu, told the court.
Before trial judge Ruby Aryeetey, the two who were represented by lawyer Akrasi Sarpong, the immediate-past executive secretary of the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB), denied the charges.
The court granted the bail application filed by the lawyer of the accused persons and admitted them to bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 with one surety each.
Hearing has been adjourned until June 5, 2017.
The Accra Regional Police Command on May 4 received complaint from the NPA to the effect that a group of persons had been selling petroleum products in gallons at Alajo junction against the provision of the law.
Besides contravening the NPA Act 691, 2005, the sale of the products in gallons is not safe as it is highly flammable. On the strength of the information, the police planted intelligence officers to monitor and inform the regional command of the movement of the fuel; and the two were subsequently arrested.
In their caution statements, Razak admitted having bought the product from a tanker driver at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR).
By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson
 Â