Pathologist Steve Kamiza, who led postmortems on former Vice President Saulos Chilima and eight other casualties of the June 10, 2024 plane crash, testified before Malawi's Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee. He stated that the victims died instantly due to the severe impact of the crash. The committee is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, which claimed nine lives.
Kamiza's testimony revealed that postmortems showed the victims sustained multiple fractures and deep cuts, consistent with a high-impact plane crash. The bodies were found with soil and vegetation embedded deep inside their wounds, indicating the force with which the aircraft struck the ground. This contradicted suggestions that the victims might have been moved from their seats before the crash.
The pathologist also noted that the bodies, including that of Chilima, were covered in jet oil. He added that the damage to mobile phones belonging to those on board was not surprising, given the severity of the impact. Other witnesses who appeared before the committee included former member of Chilima's security team George Aladi and pathologist Dr. Tamiwe Tomoka.
The Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee was established to investigate issues surrounding the identification of the deceased, collection of samples, medical records, and handling of the bodies. The committee heard from Dziwani Jassi, a former police informant, who claimed that events he witnessed before and after the crash raised suspicions about the circumstances surrounding Chilima's death.
Jassi alleged that he was contacted by a Criminal Investigations Department officer, Christopher Pangeti, who asked him to attend a meeting. He claimed that during the meeting, Pangeti instructed him to accompany a team of police officers to Mzuzu for an unspecified assignment. Jassi's testimony included details of a meeting at Walinase Lodge, where he claimed to have seen several high-ranking police officers and three white men in military attire.
Committee Vice-Chairperson James Mpunga said Jassi's allegations required further investigation. Committee Chairperson Walter Nyamilandu announced that the committee would summon Pangeti and other police officers mentioned in Jassi's testimony to respond to the allegations. The committee aims to uncover the truth surrounding the plane crash.
The plane crash occurred on June 10, 2024, killing nine people, including former Vice President Saulos Chilima. The victims also included former First Lady Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri, Ministry of Foreign Affairs deputy chief of staff Abdul Lapukeni, and several others. The investigation is ongoing.
Key points
- Pathologist Steve Kamiza testified that the victims of the plane crash died instantly due to severe impact.
- The Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
- Former police informant Dziwani Jassi made allegations about suspicious events before and after the crash.
