Why did the government bow to a family’s wish and leave the death of lawyer Ralph Kasambala unprobed? That is the question eyewitness of the 2024 plane crash put before the Ad-hoc Committee on Thursday.
Eyewitness Colrerd Nkosi has challenged the decision, arguing that a death clouded by unanswered questions should not be left alone simply because relatives say further investigations would hurt them.
Nkosi made the remarks on Thursday when he appeared before the Ad-hoc Committee investigating the June 10, 2024 plane crash that killed Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others.
Kasambala’s death has caught Nkosi’s attention because, he said, there are questions over where and how the lawyer died.
He said reports indicate that Kasambala died at a lodge in Lilongwe, but claimed that when he asks people about the circumstances, nobody appears able to clearly explain where the death occurred.
Nkosi said the unanswered questions have led people to suspect that Kasambala’s death could have been connected to Chilima’s death.
“So, in our minds, we are beginning to think that Ralph Kasambala’s death was a hook or an arrangement put in place to make sure that Mr Chilima swallowed something that would harm him,” said Nkosi.
Nkosi said Kasambala’s family had indicated that further investigations should not be pursued because the process would cause them pain.
But he argued that some matters should go beyond the wishes of relatives and be handled by state institutions.
“The problem is that Ralph Kasambala’s family is saying that we should not investigate because it will hurt them,” Nkosi said.
He questioned whether a family should have the power to stop police or other state institutions from investigating a death.
“If my father dies and I say, ‘Do not investigate,’ and the government, the police and other institutions simply agree with me, I do not think that is right,” he said.
Nkosi said the state has a responsibility to protect life and enforce the law, regardless of the relationship between the deceased and their relatives.
He used the example of a parent who kills their own child, arguing that the parent cannot escape justice by claiming ownership of the child.
“If I kill my child, I cannot say, ‘Do not prosecute me because the child I killed belongs to me,’” he said.
Nkosi also referred to attempted suicide, arguing that the state can intervene even when an individual’s actions concern their own life.
He said the law should therefore be strengthened to ensure suspicious deaths can be investigated independently of family wishes.
“Given the way killings are happening nowadays, let us make by-laws, let us change some of those laws,” Nkosi said.
Nkosi was appearing before the committee as an eyewitness who saw the aircraft carrying Chilima and the other passengers before it crashed in Chikangawa Forest.
Nkosi also told the committee that he observed unusual movements by the aircraft shortly before it disappeared from his view.
The aircraft crashed on June 10, 2024, killing Chilima and eight others who were travelling to attend Kasambala’s funeral.
Eyewitness Colrerd Nkosi has challenged the decision, arguing that a death clouded by unanswered questions should not be left alone simply because relatives say further investigations would hurt them.
Nkosi made the remarks on Thursday when he appeared before the Ad-hoc Committee investigating the June 10, 2024 plane crash that killed Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others.
Kasambala’s death has caught Nkosi’s attention because, he said, there are questions over where and how the lawyer died.
He said reports indicate that Kasambala died at a lodge in Lilongwe, but claimed that when he asks people about the circumstances, nobody appears able to clearly explain where the death occurred.
Nkosi said the unanswered questions have led people to suspect that Kasambala’s death could have been connected to Chilima’s death.
“So, in our minds, we are beginning to think that Ralph Kasambala’s death was a hook or an arrangement put in place to make sure that Mr Chilima swallowed something that would harm him,” said Nkosi.
Nkosi said Kasambala’s family had indicated that further investigations should not be pursued because the process would cause them pain.
But he argued that some matters should go beyond the wishes of relatives and be handled by state institutions.
“The problem is that Ralph Kasambala’s family is saying that we should not investigate because it will hurt them,” Nkosi said.
He questioned whether a family should have the power to stop police or other state institutions from investigating a death.
“If my father dies and I say, ‘Do not investigate,’ and the government, the police and other institutions simply agree with me, I do not think that is right,” he said.
Nkosi said the state has a responsibility to protect life and enforce the law, regardless of the relationship between the deceased and their relatives.
He used the example of a parent who kills their own child, arguing that the parent cannot escape justice by claiming ownership of the child.
“If I kill my child, I cannot say, ‘Do not prosecute me because the child I killed belongs to me,’” he said.
Nkosi also referred to attempted suicide, arguing that the state can intervene even when an individual’s actions concern their own life.
He said the law should therefore be strengthened to ensure suspicious deaths can be investigated independently of family wishes.
“Given the way killings are happening nowadays, let us make by-laws, let us change some of those laws,” Nkosi said.
Nkosi was appearing before the committee as an eyewitness who saw the aircraft carrying Chilima and the other passengers before it crashed in Chikangawa Forest.
Nkosi also told the committee that he observed unusual movements by the aircraft shortly before it disappeared from his view.
The aircraft crashed on June 10, 2024, killing Chilima and eight others who were travelling to attend Kasambala’s funeral.
