Chasowa Inquiry: Independent investigations reveal Chasowa was murdered

Investigations by some University of Malawi’s constituent college, the Polytechnic, lecturers into the mysterious death of their student Robert Chasowa, have concluded that the student was murdered.

In an interview on Monday, the leading investigator, Simbalashe Mungoshi, said their probe into the death of Chasowa shows that the young man met his fate because he allegedly crossed paths with some politicians from the former ruling party, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

“Our interest was that this thing happened at our doorstep and we thought the best way to protect ourselves was to ensure the incident is investigated to its logical conclusion,” said Mungoshi.

“We have concluded our investigations that have taken us to many places even outside Blantyre and we had to talk to a lot of people. Suicide is completely ruled out and that gentleman was murdered because he entangled himself with people in the then ruling party,” he said.

Mungoshi said he and fellow lecturers who took part in the investigations have appeared before the Commission of Inquiry instituted by President Joyce Banda to establish the truth about Chasowa’s death.

“We have presented what we know about the whole thing. Names of people who did this [murdering Chasowa] are there and it is not a secret any more, but in the interest of the Commission of Inquiry, it will not be right to mention the names at the moment.

“The Commission of Inquiry will come up with its own independent report but we presented only what we knew. I am not hiding anything and I have no reason to be afraid, but my hands are tied as long as the Commission of Inquiry is not yet over with its investigations,” he said.

The report by College of Medicine histopathologist Dr Charles Dzamalala, who conducted postmortem, also ruled out suicide, saying the cause of Chasowa’s death “was unnatural” and included trauma consistent with assault rather than a fall from a height.

Meanwhile, a Commission of Inquiry into July 20 2011 killings is finalising its report this Wednesday.

Chairperson of the commission Apostle Timothy Khoviwa said in an interview on Tuesday the commission will meet this Wednesday at Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi to sign the report which is in its final stages.

During the nationwide demonstrations, about 20 people were killed in the major cities and towns of the country, as Malawians protested the failure by the DPP-led government to find lasting solutions to problems such as chronic fuel shortages, scarcity of forex and persistent power blackouts, among others.