Rapper hid guns and drugs at friend's flat, court hears (From Croydon Guardian)

Thornton Heath rapper hid guns and drugs at friend's flat, court hears

12:13pm Thursday 16th August 2012 in Local news By Andrew Bloss

A rapper whose lyrics glorified drugs, violence and guns, hid a secret stash of drugs and weapons at a friend’s flat, a court was told.

Patrick Kingonzila, 29, of Bedser Close, Thornton Heath is accused of hiding a Smith and Western revolver and ammunition in Nicola McIntosh's home in Bensham Manor Road, Thornton Heath.

Carys Owen, prosecuting at the Old Bailey, said police officers searched Miss McIntosh’s flat in February 2012 and found two stashes of weapons, drugs and ammunition.

The first, labelled a drug dealers kit, was found above a hallway cupboard in the cavity between the ceiling of her ground floor flat and the floor above, the court was told.

A Gucci bag contained the Smith and Western revolver hidden inside a black sock and ammunition, and a plastic bag contained several wraps of cocaine and more ammunition.

Miss Owen,told the jury on Wednesday, August 15, that Mr Kingonzila’s fingerprints were found on one of the plastic wraps used to encase the drugs.

The amount of cocaine was too large to be used solely for personal consumption and must have been intended to supply other users, the court was told.

Miss Owen said rap lyrics found on Mr Kingonzila’s phone and in his house showed an open attitude towards guns, violence and drugs.

She said: "His rap lyrics that refer to guns and drugs and the number of references made in the lyrics to himself are not just poetry but his attitude towards drugs, guns and violence.

"It would explain why he had a drug dealers kit in her house."

Officers found a second secret stash in Miss McIntosh’s bedroom, underneath her bed, the court was told.

The court heard it was a draw string bag which had a JD sports bag inside it and a black plastic bag inside the JD bag. The black bag contained modified cartridges.

The fingerprints of another defendant, Lawrence Oyewole, were found on the inner bag, the court was told.

Mr Kingonzila denies having any knowledge of the items, including the gun and ammunition.

He told police he did not know how his fingerprints got onto the wrapping but said he could have touched it at an earlier stage before it was used to hold cocaine, the court was told.

Mr Kingonzila denies one count of posession of a firearm which was ready for another person to use and endanger someone’s life, two counts of possessing ammunition, and one count of possessing more than 62.86g of cocaine with intent to supply.

Miss McIntosh, 22, denies the same charges.

She is also accused with Mr Oyewole, 28, of Ankerdine Crescent, Woolwich of having three modified cartridges in her home.

Mr Oyewole faces a separate charge of possessing the modified cartridges.

They deny all the charges. The trial continues.