Gunshot residues found on Matthew Kanyamunyu’s clothes

Gunshot residues found on Matthew Kanyamunyu's clothes
Mathew Kanyamunyu, the key suspect in the murder of child rights activist Kenneth Akena

Kampala, Uganda | URN | A Ballistic expert has told Court that gunshot residues were found on the clothes belonging to Matthew Kanyamunyu.

The residues are deposited on the hands and clothes of someone who discharges a firearm.

Kanyamunyu and his girlfriend Cynthia Munwangari are on trial for the murder of Child Rights Activist Kenneth Akena.

On Friday 14th, February 2020, Robinah Kirinya a Principal Government Analyst from the Government Analytical Laboratory in Kampala told court that she examined exhibits like Kanyamunyu’s car registration number UAW 548 M and in the glove compartment, where it is alleged he hid the killer gun that is still missing.

Kirinya also said that when she examined the clothes, components of gunshot residues were found around the edge and inside the right pocket of Kanyamunyu’s pair of trousers and on the right-hand breast part of his long-sleeved sky blue shirt.

The 58-year-old also told court that she found several items in Kanyamunyu’s car which she has displayed in court.

The items included United Bank of Africa Cheque Book, Rwandan Currency, Receipts from Toyota Company, Medicine, a copy of an Identification Card in the names of Busobozi Taremwa.

Others were Capital Shoppers Reward Card, invitation cards, shoe and hairbrushes, Business Cards, empty sheets, neckties among other several items, some of which belonged to his elder brother Joseph Kanyamunyu.

After displaying the items in court, Kanyamunyu’s lawyer Caleb Alaka told court that it was their first time to see the items because they have never been disclosed to them.

Alaka asked Justice Steven Mubiru for more time to consult his clients as to whether they should be accepted the items as evidence in the matter.

Akena murder bullet displayed in court

The bullet that allegedly killed child rights activist Kenneth Akena was displayed in court.

The round-nosed bullet was displayed before Justice Steven Mubiru on Thursday 13th by principal government analyst Robinah Kirinya attached to the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory located in Wandegeya, Kampala.

Robinah-Kirinya-displays-Akena-bullet
Principal government analyst Robinah Kirinya attached to the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory located in Wandegeya, Kampala displays a bullet that allegedly killed Akena

Kirinya was testifying as prosecution witness number eleven in the case where the Quantum Logistics Limited director Matthew Kanyamunyu and his Burundian Girlfriend Cynthia Munangwari are accused of shooting dead Akena on November 12, 2016, in Lugogo in Nakawa Division.

Kirinya told court that she received two requests from police to examine and determine the calibre and the possible gun which was used to discharge a bullet that had been brought to her.

The other request was about examination of Akena and Kanyamunyu’s vehicles to ascertain whether there was contact between them and whether there were traces of gunshots on both vehicles.

She noted that she examined the bullet and found that it had a round nose and its ammunition calibre was 2.2 inches with a weight of 2.58 grams and its length was 1.2 centimetres.

According to the analyst, this kind of explanation means that the bullet had been discharged by a pistol or a revolver that has eight riflings in its barrel which twist to the right. Earlier, detective Constable Haruna Mugisha returned to court and was cross-examined by the defence lawyers Caleb Alaka, MacDusman Kabega and Evans Ochieng.

Read Also: Kanyamunyu mistook Akena for an assassin – Police detective

He was cross-examined on the role he played as the scene of crime officer as well as taking pictures of all the exhibits being used in this matter. Mugisha noted that the search was conducted in his absence of which the lawyers said it’s illegal.

Also, during this cross-examination, it emerged from Kanyamunyu’s lawyer, Kabega that he refused to provide his blood samples to Mugisha while at Luzira Prison because he had earlier provided the same when he was still in police custody.