The Accra Circuit Court 10, presided over by Her Honour Justice Evelyn Asamoah, has remanded two police officers into custody over their alleged roles in the disappearance of 16 CZ assault rifles from the armoury of the Ghana Police Service.
The officers, Lance Corporal William Atia Asitanga, 32, and Lance Corporal Sulemana Zanya Abdul-Rahman, 27, are facing charges of stealing and abetment of stealing, respectively. Both pleaded not guilty when they appeared before the court.
The prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Nyamekye, informed the court that the incident took place in March 2024 at the National Counter Terrorism Department in Accra, where Lance Corporal Asitanga was assigned as the department’s Armourer.
As part of his duties, Asitanga had exclusive access and oversight of weapons and ammunition stored in the department’s armoury. However, an internal audit conducted around that period revealed that 16 CZ assault rifles were unaccounted for.
When questioned, Asitanga reportedly failed to provide any explanation for the missing weapons, leading to his arrest and the launch of a broader investigation.
Subsequent inquiries allegedly linked Lance Corporal Abdul-Rahman, who was then stationed at Asiwa in the Bekwai District of the Ashanti Region, to the case. Investigators believe he may have played a supporting role in the unlawful removal of the rifles.
Both officers are currently in police custody as investigations intensify. Prosecutors say the accused are cooperating with investigators as more facts emerge in the case.
The matter has been adjourned to August 20, 2025, for further proceedings.
