Retired Justice Oslen Small who is presiding over the court martial of a senior army officer is expected to rule today whether the charges brought against the officer for his part in the theft of the 30 AK-47 rifles and five pistols from the army storage bond last year should be upheld or withdrawn.

theft of the 30 AK-47 rifles and five pistols

 

Lieutenant Colonel Tony Ross of the Guyana Defence Force began facing court-martial proceedings about a month ago.

He was Commander of Ordnance Corps, the department responsible for the storage and distribution of weapons at army headquarters during the period the weapons were stolen.

The officer's attorney, Leslie Sobers had submitted to the court that the charges brought against Ross were not properly grounded in evidence. Today the court which is being convened at army headquarters, Thomas Lands will rule whether Sobers' submissions should be upheld.

Ross is the first senior officer to be charged since the weapons were spirited away from Camp Ayanganna last year March. Fourteen of the AK-47 rifles have been recovered so far. Most of the weapons were recovered from the hands of criminals connected to the Buxton-based criminal gang.

In May the army court-martialled, Warrant Officer John Peters on matters relating to the theft of the weapons. He was found guilty on two counts of negligence and was sentenced to 12 months in army jail.

Ross on the other hand, is charged with five counts relating to negligence and prejudicial conduct associated with the disappearance of the weapons. At the commencement of the court-martial proceedings the defence had objected to the constitution of the court but at a subsequent hearing it was ruled that the court was composed in accordance with the Defence Act.