Chasowa murder case files ‘vanish’

Case files for the murder case of Polytechnic student Robert Chasowa, slain during the DPP regime have ‘vanished’ into thin air, Nyasa Times can reveal.

Inside sources at the High court in Blantyre and the national Police Headquarters indicate that the files have disappeared and police investigating teams are frustrated.

Some of the suspects who were arrested in connection with the murder of Chasowa included DPP Regional Governor for the South Noel Masangwi and some police officers from the Southern Region offices.

Masangwi and others are out on bail awaiting trial.

Masangwi: Was one of the people arrested in connection with Chasowa case
Masangwi: Was one of the people arrested in connection with Chasowa case

Insiders believe that Masangwi and other top DPP officials orchestrated the move for the missing files.

“We know that this is the work of Masangwi and other DPP top officials who, using their inside connections, made sure that the files should miss so that they avoid trial. Very soon they will apply to court to have the case dismissed because they know they have destroyed all the evidence,” said the source.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Bruno Kalemba is said to be furious with Police and has asked them to make sure that the file is ready as he is prepared to go to trial.

Malawi’s Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs spokesperson Apoche Itimu in July told the press that the State is still investigating the matter.

“The matter is still under investigation, it will come before court once investigations are done,” she was quoted saying.

Background

Masangwi and nine others were arrested in November 2012 before released on bail by the High Court as suspects in the Polytechnic engineering student, Robert Chasowa’s murder.

Judge Sylvester Kalembera ordered Masangwi and his alleged accomplices to pay a bail bond of K200, 000 each, and provide two sureties each with every surety providing bond of K250, 000 cash.

The court had also demanded the suspects to report to Southern Region Police Headquarters twice a week-on Mondays and Fridays-surrender their travelling documents, and seek permission from Police Commissioner for the South when leaving Blantyre.

The suspects have since had their bail conditions eased.

Chasowa, who studied engineering, was found dead at a college campus Blantyre in September 2011. Police said he had jumped to his death from a five-storey building and produced bogus suicide note as evidence.

But a Justice Andrew Nyirenda-led inquiry ordered by President Joyce Banda ruled that Chasowa was murdered.

The inquiry report implicated about 14 people includes some DPP top officials. Banda promised that the culprits would “face the full wrath of the law”.

Chasowa was the chairman of a student activist group, Youth for Democracy (YFD), which published anti-Mutharika government leaflets before his death.

Some of those arrested in connection to his death include boxing promoter, Mike “Bangwe One’ Chitenje, Police constable, Stanford Horea, Stoni John and Isaac ‘Mtopwa One’ Osman, Frank Julius, Dolph Geoffrey Botomani and Petros Tembo.

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