By JOHN SAKALA
The state witness has told the Chingola Magistrate court that she found K79, 975 cash on Mwaba Mukuma.
Mercy Mweene 25, a police officer at Chingola Central today told the Chingola Resident Magistrate Peggy Banda that she found K79, 975 with Mukuma when she searched his car.
This is in the matter in which Mukuma 40, a businessman of Chingola is charged with the offence of failing to account for possession of property believed to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained.
Ms Mweene said on January 31, this year she was deployed with other officers to conduct random searches and one of the vehicles she searched was driven by Mukuma.
“He drove by with an Isuzu twin cab Reg. ABV 1549 and I stopped him. When I told him that I wanted to search the car he initially resisted but later complied. Upon a search I found two batches of K50 notes which each had K25, 000. The money had an attachments of the withdraw slips from Eco Bank but he said the money from cashing from his family guest house in Maiteneke.
“He then asked me to discuss the matter not as police, this triggered my suspicion and was again forced to search his car where I found black plastic with black powder, a pistol with 11 bullets. I then called on a male police officer to search him and we found him with more money which together amounted to K79, 975,” she said.
Ms Mweene said later Mukuma was taken to Chiwempala police where a decision was made to go to his home for a further search.
She said at Mukuma’s home some white powder was found in two separate bottles, more bullets and some precious stones which appeared like gold to her naked eyes and that was how he was detained at Chingola Central police station.
Matter was adjourned to March 5, this year for continuation of trial while Mukuma is police bond.
