An Accra Circuit Court has ordered the remand of two police officers, Lance Corporal William Atia Asitanga and Lance Corporal Sulemana Zanya Abdul-Rahman, in a case that has exposed a disturbing breach of security within the Ghana Police Service.
The two are accused of being involved in the theft of 16 CZ Assault Rifles from a police armoury in what is being described as a severe lapse in institutional control.
Presided over by Her Honour Justice Evelyn Asamoah, the Accra Circuit Court heard the charges against the two officers.
Lance Corporal Asitanga, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to stealing the firearms, while his 27-year-old colleague, Lance Corporal Abdul-Rahman, pleaded not guilty to abetment to steal.
According to the prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Nyamekye, the alleged crime took place in March 2024 at the National Counter Terrorism Department in Accra.
Lance Corporal Asitanga, who served as the armourer, was tasked with managing the department’s arms and ammunition.
It was during an internal audit that the disappearance of the 16 assault rifles was discovered.
The internal investigation swiftly focused on Lance Corporal Asitanga, who, as the sole person responsible for the weapons, was unable to account for them.
Further probing by the police led to the arrest of Lance Corporal Abdul-Rahman, who is stationed at Asiwa in the Bekwai District of the Ashanti Region.
Abdul-Rahman is suspected of aiding Asitanga in the theft.
The court has ordered that both accused officers be held in police custody as investigations continue.
They are scheduled to reappear before the court on August 20, 2025.
DSP Nyamekye told the court that both officers are currently assisting in the ongoing investigation.
The theft of such a large number of assault rifles from a sensitive national security department raises significant alarms.
The missing weapons could potentially fall into the wrong hands, posing a grave threat to national security and public safety.
This incident underscores the urgent need for enhanced security protocols and stricter oversight of armouries within Ghana’s security services.
The Ghana Police Service has not yet released a public statement on the matter, but the prosecution’s move to remand the officers signals the seriousness with which this case is being treated.
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