A policeman was yesterday arrested as he attempted selling an AK47 rifle and 30 rounds of ammunition to a member of one of the warring factions in the ongoing Bawku conflict in the Upper East Region.

Constable Daniel Yeboah who was picked up yesterday is one of the many policemen deployed to the conflict location from various parts of the country when government ordered the beefing up of security in Bawku and its environs following renewed clashes between the Kusasis and Mamprusis.

The arrested cop was deployed from his mother unit, the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) based in Dormaa Ahenkro in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The suspect has been transferred from Bawku to Bolgatanga, the regional headquarters where he is being processed for further legal action.

A day after his arrest, a certain Abugri Mamudu who offered to buy the AK47 rifle for GH¢600 was also picked up by the Police and is being held for questioning.

Abugri is Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) Unity Branch in Bawku.

Investigations have established that the stolen weapon belongs to a certain Constable Yaw Asamoah who is also on duty in Bawku.

The stolen weapon is yet to be retrieved by the Police, according to a source close to the security agencies in Bawku.

In another development, a certain Aboweg Abdallah has been jailed for 12 months after he attempted stealing a Police Service rifle. He was charged with attempting to steal a Police rifle and subsequently convicted.

Meanwhile, one of the 72 suspects arrested following the renewal of hostilities in Bawku, Bangura Yamusa has been given unconditional bail by the Police after a screening exercise.

Bawku is relatively calm following the beefing up of security in the township. There is a curfew in the conflict zone and the security agencies are very strict with the enforcement of law.

Segments of the Ghana Army Airborne Force are taking turns in the Bawku operation supported by a large body of policemen drawn from various formations across the country.

Bawku has remained a flashpoint for sometime, in the aftermath of disagreements between the Kusasi and Mamprusis in this part of the country.

In the recent renewal of hostilities a number of houses were burnt and some lives lost - a situation which compelled government to order the movement of extra troops to the location.

Security agents were amazed at the assortment of sophisticated weapons amassed by the warring factions especially after their seizure in a major swoop in the conflict zone.

Among the assortment of firearms were AK47s, the standard weapon of the Police, G3s, military service weapon, Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) and Sub-Machine Gun (SMG), both military weapons.

Source: Daily Guide