The Circuit Court in Accra, presided over by Her Honour Susana Eduful, has granted bail to ten men facing charges of unlawful possession of firearms and preparation to commit a violent crime in Bawku in the Upper East Region.
Each of the accused persons was admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 with two sureties.
The court directed that one of the sureties for each accused must have a minimum monthly income of GH¢3,000 and be able to justify the source of earnings.
The accused are also required to report daily at 3:00 p.m. to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters in Accra until the court issues a different directive.
The matter has been scheduled for a Case Management Conference (CMC) on October 15, 2025.
Arrest and Background
The accused, whose ages range from 17 to 37 years, were arrested on August 5, 2025, during a security operation in Zaabu Zongo, a community in Bawku.
The operation was conducted by the Joint Peace Enforcement Team, commanded by Captain D. Z. Mahama, as part of efforts to restore calm in the conflict-prone municipality.
According to investigators, the operation led to the recovery of empty ammunition shells and the arrest of individuals allegedly found loitering during curfew hours.
Among those arrested was 19-year-old blacksmith, Rauf Naziru, who admitted that the items retrieved from his room belonged to him but insisted they were not firearms.
He told officers that the 15 M16 empty shells, seven AK47 shells, and nine G3 shells discovered in his possession were scrap materials he used in making rings and scrapers.
The other accused persons are: Issaka Tijani, 34; Abdulai Sumaila Gatuso, 17; Muniru Abubakarm Naro, 21; Issaka Yakubu, 19; Sulemana Abdul Basit Ayede, 37; Bukari Salifu Monaaba, 34; Yakim Ibrahim, 35; and Adam Hanisu Hanif, 34.
Court Proceedings
Nine of the accused made their first appearance before the court on August 7, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Prosecutors, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Issah Achibari, informed the court that investigations were still ongoing and asked that the accused be remanded into custody.
The court granted that request and adjourned proceedings to September 1, 2025, to allow disclosures to be made.
Subsequent hearings resulted in the court’s decision to admit the accused to bail under strict conditions, with the CID tasked to keep them under close monitoring.
