Some of the suspects
The Ghana Police Service has arrested ten persons and retrieved nine weapons and ammunitions in separate operations in the Eastern Region, as part of ongoing security operations ahead of the Akwatia by-election scheduled for September 2, 2025.
The weapons include eight pump-action guns and one locally manufactured single-barrel gun.
The police, in a statement, confirmed that these seizures form part of intensified efforts to prevent the unlawful possession and use of weapons during the electoral process.
The arrest occurred when police intercepted a vehicle driven by one of the suspects, Bernard Kumi Ofosu on August 22, 2025, near St. Dominic Hospital in Akwatia.
A search led to the discovery of one Tulpar double-barrel pump-action gun, four AAA live cartridges, and two FTB blank cartridges.
The suspect admitted ownership of the firearm and produced a valid licence. He is currently in police custody assisting investigations, with the exhibits retained for verification.
In a separate operation at the Akwatia Y-Junction snap checkpoint, police arrested Joshua Amenuku after retrieving 15 live BB cartridges from him.
A subsequent search at his residence uncovered one Adler Tulpa pump-action gun and five additional live BB cartridges.
Later that evening, police intercepted a Toyota Hilux pick-up at the Boadua Livingstone snap checkpoint and arrested other suspects identified as Enoch Asiedu, and Lu Youyan, a Chinese national, after four live BB cartridges were retrieved from the vehicle.
Preliminary interrogation revealed that the ammunition allegedly belonged to their employer, a man identified only as Mohammed, who is said to own the vehicle the suspects were driving in.
The police say efforts are underway to trace and arrest Mohammed for interrogation, while the two suspects remain in custody assisting investigations.
The third arrest occurred on August 23, 2025 when police officers on duty at the Boadua Livingstone Junction snap checkpoint arrested Pieterson Joseph, after retrieving one (1) Adler Tulpar pump-action gun and 46 AAA and BB cartridges from his vehicle.
The suspect admitted ownership of the firearm.
The police also made another arrest on August 23, 2025, when officers on snap-check duty at Staff Village, Boadua, intercepted a Toyota Tundra pick-up with registration number WR 5535-13 from the Asamankese direction towards Boadua.
A search conducted in the Tundra pick-up revealed three pump-action guns, including (1) Pardus pump-action gun, one (1) Hulglu Atroe pump-action and one (1) other pump-action gun.
Stephen Nkansah, who was driving the car, claimed ownership of two of the pump-action guns, and claimed that the third gun belongs to his chief.
He was subsequently arrested and detained for investigation.
The Eastern South Regional Police Command, in a statement, assured the public and all stakeholders that these operations will be intensified as part of efforts to ensuring security, law and order before, during, and after the Akwatia by-election.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak