The Special Operations Unit (SOU) of the Ghana Police Service has arrested a man posing as a soldier for allegedly attempting to sell firearms to undercover police officers.
The suspect, identified as Warrant Officer Class II (WOII) Enock Appiah, was picked up on Tuesday following an intelligence-led operation coordinated from the Police Headquarters in Accra.
Sources at the Police Headquarters noted that officers received credible information that the suspect, who operates around the Kasoa area, was actively seeking buyers for assault rifles and other firearms. Acting on the tip-off, personnel of the SOU launched discreet surveillance and engaged the suspect through covert means.
The operation led officers to an uncompleted building located near the Nurses Quarters at Domeabra-Kasoa, which the suspect allegedly used as a hideout. The police moved in after confirming his presence at the location and arrested him without incident.
A search conducted on the suspect at the time of arrest led to the retrieval of two pistols , a Beretta and a Taurus , as well as three rounds of ammunition believed to be for an AK-47 assault rifle.
Officers also found several military uniforms in his possession, along with a fake military identification card bearing the name WO Enock Appiah.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect is not a serving member of the Ghana Armed Forces, despite presenting himself as a Warrant Officer. Police sources disclosed that the suspect claimed to be based in Kasoa and was allegedly living with his three wives at the uncompleted structure.
Investigators are currently working to establish how the suspect acquired the firearms, ammunition and military uniforms, as well as whether he is part of a larger criminal network involved in the illegal trade of weapons. Efforts are also underway to trace the source of the fake military identification card.
The suspect remains in police custody as investigations continue, and he is expected to be arraigned before court once inquiries are concluded.
The Ghana Police Service has reiterated its commitment to combating the proliferation of illegal firearms and has urged the public to volunteer information on suspicious activities to aid security operations nationwide.
