Sophia siblings cleared of gun, ganja charges

-after court finds weak police case

Charges against a brother and sister, who were accused of firearm, ammunition and narcotics possession last year, were dismissed yesterday after the police failed to prove its case.

It was alleged that Abednego and Shavel Accra on March 17th, 2017, at Block ‘E,’ South Sophia, had in their possession a 9mm pistol and three live matching rounds of ammunition without being licensed firearm holders.

It was further alleged that the siblings had 12 grammes of cannabis in their possession at the same time.

The Accras, who were on trial before Magistrate Annette Singh in Georgetown, walked free after a no-case submission made by their attorney, Dexter Todd, was upheld yesterday.

Todd argued that the prosecution’s evidence was insufficient, inconsistent and did not establish a prima facie case against his clients.

Magistrate Singh subsequently noted that the prosecutor’s evidence was so inconsistent that she could not give weight to it.

The case against the accused, according to the magistrate, was too weak to call on them to lead a defence. As a result, the charges against them was dismissed.

The police had said that on March 17th, 2017, at around 10.30 pm, ranks went to a house at Lot 6, Block ‘E,’ South Sophia and conducted a search. It was during the search that a bag containing leaves, seeds and stems was found in a glass on a table. A further search of the house uncovered a firearm and matching ammunition in a clothes basket, police added.