* As it completes its third phase of inquiry in the Southern Region from November 15-16, 2024
* And to complete its fourth phase in the Central Region today, November 26 in Lilongwe where it has sat since November 18
By Duncan Mlanjira
Considering the magnitude of the evidence gathered from 120 witnesses as of November 22, the Commission of Inquiry into circumstances that led to the tragic plane that killed Vice-President Lazarus Chakwera and eight others, requested President Lazarus Chakwera for an extension of the duration of its mandate — which has been granted and therefore shall wind up and submit its report on December 14.
This is contained in the update of the progress made so far in the course of its inquiry, reporting that the Commission completed its third phase in the Southern Region where the Commission sat at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre from November 15-16, 2024 and is today, November 26, completing its fourth phase in the Central Region in Lilongwe where it has sat at Lifestyle Boutique Hotel and Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe since November 18.
The investigations were in pursuant to the Commissions of Inquiry Act and the Terms of Reference as particularised by President Chakwera on the aircraft accident involving a Malawi Air Force Dornier 228 (MAF-T03) on June 10, 2024.
The crash in Chikangawa forest in Mzimba, killed Chilima alongside former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri (former wife to former President Bakili Muluzi); Lukas Kapheni, Chisomo Chimaneni, Gloria Mtukule, Dan Kanyemba, Abdul Lapukeni and the crew, Colonel Sambalopa, Major Selemani and Major Aidin.
The Commission reports that it met members of the public; members of some of the bereaved families; and members of staff and management of various organisations with credible and relevant information regarding the tragic aircraft accident.
“On a number of occasions, the Commission says it held virtual interviews with witnesses not capable of tendering their evidence in person and continued to issue summonses to meet with persons with relevant and credible information regarding the aircraft accident.
“However, notwithstanding the continued publicity of the on-going business, the Commission through various media platforms, and since the last periodic update issued on November 14, the Commission has only heard testimony from only one more person who volunteered to testify before it.
“The Commission shall on 26th November close the proceedings of taking evidence and now proceed to make its findings and recommendations which shall be contained in the report to be submitted to President and the nation.”
Justice Jabbar Alide-led Commission
In its first periodic update on November 14, the Commission, led by Justice Jabbar Alide, expressed its concern that — while the response of the individuals summoned to appear before it were positive, there was poor response to its call for information, and voluntary presentation of any information as regards to the accident.
By then only one person had voluntarily responded to the call, some of whom had already appeared before the Commission, but “considering the national interest and the wide debate that the aircraft accident generated — and the subsequent calls for the inquiry in both the social media and mainstream media — it was the Commission’s expectation that members of the general public were going to respond to the commission’s call”.
In the first periodic report, the Commission reported that completed its inquiry in the Northern Region where it sat on diver’s days and places from November 4-9 and at Pamphara Hill (the accident site); Nthungwa CCAP Church and Nthungwa Forest Office, all in Nkhata Bay District.
The Commission also sat at Grand Palace Hotel and Mzuzu Airport in Mzuzu; and finally, at Kasangazi Primary School in Mzimba and went on to complete the second phase in Zomba, from November 11-13 at Malawi Air Force Zomba Air Base and Zomba District Council offices.
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“During its first and second phase of its inquiry, the Commission met and talked to members of the general public as well as management and staff of various public and private institutions with information regarding the tragic aircraft accident.
“The Commission also took the opportunity to conduct on site visits of all key sites relevant to the inquiry [and] so far has interviewed and gathered information from 55 witnesses.”
On October 25, President Lazarus Chakwera presided over the swearing-in of the members of the 19-member Commission of Inquiry to look into the circumstances of the plane crash following his pledge during the funeral ceremony for late Chilima on June 16.
Late Saulos Klaus Chilima
Chaired by Justice Alide, the other members are Monsignor Dr. Patrick Thawale, Pastor Tony Y. Nyirenda, Bishop Mary Nkosi, Dr. Sunduzwayo Madise, Inkosi ya Makosi Mbwelwa V, Senior Chief Makwangwala, Justin Mkandawire, Brigadier Cosgrove Mituka (Rtd), Emma Kaliya, Sylvester Namiwa, Dixie Kwatani, Pro. Nyengo Mkandawire, Alan Chinula SC, Esther Chioko, Nimia Kambiri Mzembe, Lidia Chiotha, Dr. Ruth Mwandira and Mirriam Wemba, whose secretaries are Chizaso Nyirongo and His Worship Paul Chiotcha.
But Namiwa, executive director for Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), resigned a few days later after his suggestion to have the inquiry streamed live was rejected.
Done at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, Chakwera expressed optimism that the Commission would deliver its investigative findings — initially set for the end of this month of November — providing clarity on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy to all concerned Malawians.
Chakwera urged the Commissioners to work with impartiality in their investigation, saying: “I know that the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry seemed to have taken long but it is because there were a number of procedures that needed to be followed in order to avoid appointing an unreliable Commission.”
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He added that he had planned to conduct the investigation of the plane crash in three phases, which included finding out the cause of death of the deceased but also finding out if there were any survivors when the plane crashed — not only that but also finding out what caused the plane to crash.
Furthermore, the President asked the members of the Commission to execute their duties with diligence and ignore biasness and political pressure on the matter, emphasising the importance of scrutinising the events leading to the plane crash.
He highlighted that the preliminary inquiries included the issuance of postmortem reports to the families and the involvement of German investigators.
In August, German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation investigators presented its own interim report of circumstances that led to the plane crash.
Investigations by the German experts