Speculation over what happened in the crucial hours before the discovery of victims’ bodies sparked a heated exchange at the parliamentary inquiry into the June 10, 2024 military plane crash.
A key witness has sharply rejected suggestions of possible interference.
The tension surfaced when Zomba Thondwe questioned Dr Chipolombwe about whether the bodies were discovered on June 11, 2024, and whether any tampering before their recovery could have influenced the investigation’s findings.
But Dr Chipolombwe immediately challenged the premise of the question, accusing the lawmaker of venturing into speculation rather than relying on established facts.
“Chair, isn’t that an assumption? Are we now going to start working with assumptions?” he asked.
Committee chairperson Walter Nyamilandu stepped in, reminding members to base their questions on verifiable evidence.
Undeterred, Thondwe pressed further, asking whether 24 hours had passed before the bodies were found.
Dr Chipolombwe responded that his evidence was limited to the date the bodies were discovered and that he could not account for events before then.
“Chair, we are talking about the day the bodies were discovered. We do not know anything about what happened on June 10,” he said.
A key witness has sharply rejected suggestions of possible interference.
The tension surfaced when Zomba Thondwe questioned Dr Chipolombwe about whether the bodies were discovered on June 11, 2024, and whether any tampering before their recovery could have influenced the investigation’s findings.
But Dr Chipolombwe immediately challenged the premise of the question, accusing the lawmaker of venturing into speculation rather than relying on established facts.
“Chair, isn’t that an assumption? Are we now going to start working with assumptions?” he asked.
Committee chairperson Walter Nyamilandu stepped in, reminding members to base their questions on verifiable evidence.
Undeterred, Thondwe pressed further, asking whether 24 hours had passed before the bodies were found.
Dr Chipolombwe responded that his evidence was limited to the date the bodies were discovered and that he could not account for events before then.
“Chair, we are talking about the day the bodies were discovered. We do not know anything about what happened on June 10,” he said.
