Police hunt hunters

Police authorities here have begun a drastic raid of arms and ammunition from the hands of hunters and other weapon carriers in the wake of ban against bush animals hunting here.

 In less than two months, police authorities in Monrovia say they have made two separate arrests of suspects, confiscating combined total ammunition of roughly 6,000 pieces that were being possessed for alleged hunting purposes.

On 28 September, Deputy Police Spokesman Lewis Norman told reporters of the latest impounding of 3,000 pieces of single barrel rounds at the Salala Gate, in Bong County. The short gun shots were in the possession of suspect Sackor Swen.

This latest impounding of 3,000 rounds comes after an earlier arrest of another suspect Morris Gbanjah around the Benson Hospital in Paynesville with over 2,975 rounds of single barrel ammunition in late August this year.

Mr. Norman stressed the ban placed on arms and ammunition here saying anyone caught carrying them in whatever quantity will be arrested and prosecuted. Already, he says suspect Swen is being investigated in Gbarnga, Bong County and will be sent to court at the end of police probe.

Mr. Norman said the arrests and prosecution of suspects carrying ammunition will deter others, emphasizing that the ban remains in place.

By Winston W. Parley -Edited by Othello B. Garblah