Burkinabe, 51, arrested with loaded pistol in church
A 51-year-old Burkinabe businessman, Desire Tibila Bilgo was Sunday arrested for possessing a pistol during a Roman Catholic church service at Hamile in the Lambussie-Karni District of the Upper West Region.
Worshippers said Bilgo who was dressed casually in a T-shirt and trousers, aroused suspicion due to his unusual behaviour in church.
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When approached by church leaders, he could not speak any local language. They caused his arrest and upon a search, they found a pistol loaded with two rounds of ammunition on him.
Bilgo, a Moshi by birth was consequently handed over to the Police at Hamile and subsequently transferred to the district headquarters at Jirapa for interrogation.
When contacted, the Jirapa Crime Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Richard Daplah confirmed the arrest and said, upon initial investigation the suspect claimed he was a mason employed by an inhabitant to construct a place of convenience for him.
He said the suspect claimed to have arrived in the country last week Tuesday to start the work.
Hamile is located along the Ghana - Burkina Faso frontier with many unapproved routes, with the people of both sides sharing the same cultures, the same native language but divided by colonial barriers.
According to DSP Daplah, when questioned why he was in possession of the pistol, the suspect said he was keeping it to defend himself because he had previously been a victim of armed robbery attack in Burkina Faso.
Upon his arrest, the Upper West Regional Security Council (REGSEC) had a crunch meeting with the Christian and Moslem leaders calling for vigilance to detect such infractions.
The Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih called on the public to be on the lookout for suspicious persons and report them to the relevant authorities.
The Bishop of the Wa Diocese, Most Rev Richard Kuuia Baawobr said, he was shocked by the event and called for vigilance by the congregation. “This is a wake-up call on public safety issues”, he said.