Malawian lawyer demands probe into Mtekama’s death

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A Malawian lawyer has demanded a probe into the death of Bob Mtekama who was Head of Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at Malawi Police Service.

The lawyer and Journalist Peter Makossah raised questions over Mtekama’s death in a Facebook post yesterday.

Mtekama died on August 4 and the Malawi Police said he was diabetic. The police also revealed that Mtekama was diagnosed with Covid-19 while in hospital.

Makossah in his post questioned why the police lied that Mtekama tested positive for Covid-19.

“Who tested Bob Mtekama for COVID? When and where?,” said Makossah.

He demanded a postmortem saying it will reveal what really killed the police officer. Accordng to Makossah, Mtekama was too important to be buried without an autopsy.

“Why was a postmortem never conducted on Bob Mtekama’s body when the medical report indicated that Bob’s kidneys were ‘injured’?” asked Makossah.

He also wondered how Mtekama’s kidneys were injured and why the police shunned his funeral in Nkhotakota.

According to Makossah, the police cannot mention the positive Coronavirus test as an excuse since the Malawi Police Service has medics who could have handled the funeral.

“Why was Bob Mtekama, a very Senior Police officer, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and the country’s only handwriting specialist and only forensic science top-notch investigator trained by the FBI buried as a civilian without any military rights and no gun salute?

“Even if he had Coronavirus (which he didn’t have) wouldn’t the police had taken care of his funeral?” asked Makossah.

Makossah also claimed that an unidentified man sneaked into Mtekama’s hospital room at 04:00 am and sat beside him on the bed just hours before he died.

According to Makossah, the unidentified man did not go through the family or hospital officials.

“Who is this man? Who sent him? Why did he go to Bob’s room at 04:00 am?,” asked Makossah.

He suggested that a Police Commissioner sent the “tall and slender round-faced man” who went into Mtekama’s room in the wee hours of the day Mtekama died.

“In fact, Bob told us about you. We will expose you,” said Makossah.

He then vowed to fight for Mtekama and expose everyone who took part in the “scheme”.

Makossah said: “Bob Mtekama lived all his life dedicating himself fighting for justice for others but died without justice and never get honour that he deserved. We will fight for Bob until the truth comes out and we will not tire until justice is done.”

Mtekama, known as the Crime Buster, died weeks after being re-appointed as the Head of the CID, Bob Mtekama

According to Makossah, Mtekama had, since his re-appointment, cracked on the murder of Issa Njauju murder, the arson attack that led to the murder of three people in Lilongwe, the Kalonga Stambuli murder, and the murder of Buleya Lule.

“[Mtekama] was working on several other cases including the financial plunder among others,” said Makossah

In the Buleya Lule murder, 12 police officers including an acting Commissioner of Police were arrested last month. Lule died in police custody last year after he was accused of being involved in the death of a person with albinism..

Makossah said: “It is clear Bob Mtekama was becoming a thorn in many a people’s fresh, but he was just doing the job he loved with passion.”

 

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