A detective inspector has told the Lusaka High Court that he discovered a fire arm hidden underneath some plates in Chilanga UPND member of parliament Keith Mukata’s car.

In this case, Mukata and his co accused Charmaine Musonda are accused of murdering a security guard Namakabwa Kwenda who was manning Mukata’s law firm AKM legal practitioners.

Marvin Chilufya testified that when he reached the crime scene, he found Kwenda lying unconscious at the gate of AKM Legal Practitioners.

Chilufya said when he walked towards the offices, he noticed an empty cartridge on the ground near a BMW that was parked 18 metres away from the deceased.

Chilufya told the court that upon discovering an empty cartridge on the ground he attempted to open the car but it was locked.

He said when he asked for the keys to the BMW, Mukata instead gave him keys for a Land Cruiser that was parked within the premises.

He said he followed some foot prints which he noticed on a pathway and they led him behind the offices where he discovered car keys in a flowerbed.

The detective inspector narrated that he used the keys to open Mukata’s car and discovered a basket that contained plates and a fire arm hidden underneath.

Chilufya further narrates that among the items that were found in the car was a magazine with five rounds of ammunition and a hand bag that contained passports belonging to Mukata and his lover Charmaine.

Earlier, Vincent Chibesa, a ballistic officer told justice Susan Wanjelani that the distance between Kwenda and his shooter was approximately twenty metres.

Chibesa said according to his findings, Kwenda and shooter faced each other during the incident.

Chibesa insisted that the perforation on the gate and Kwenda’s body had similar characteristics.

He said the diameter of the perforation on the gate and Kwenda’s wound were caused by a fire of the same calibre 0.4 centimetres.

When the case was stood down for 20 minutes, the murder suspects interacted with his ex wife Getrude.

Trial continues on September 18.