Home | National | Lawyer Msiska heads Inquiry into Stambuli's death

Lawyer Msiska heads Inquiry into Stambuli's death

Font size: Decrease font Enlarge font
By Praise Liomba 27 August, 2008 04:20:00
image Muluzi: Government desperate to block his constitutionally allowed candidature

President Bingu Mutharika has established a Commission of Inquiry to investigate circumstances surrounding the mysterious death of economist, Kalonga Stambuli, who was found dead at his Chirimba mansion in Blantyre in 2004. 

An autopsy by pathologist Charles Dzamalala found indications that Stambuli who was employed by former president Dr Bakili Muluzi at Trade and Investment Bank where he was the chief executive officer may have died from strangulation. Muluzi’s bank failed after his death. 

The Commission of Inquiry whose chairperson is Blantyre based prominent lawyer, Mordecai Msiska, comprises religious leaders, lawyers and other individuals of high standing in society.

The establishment comes hot on the heels amid media reports that police have identified, a key witness, one Taulai Mtika Chiputula a self-styled businessman from Chilomoni in Blantyre who is in exile in South Africa after fleeing prosecution on many charges. 

Mtika confessed to Nyasa Times that Malawi government has been persuading him to give testimony that would implicate former president Muluzi in the death of late Stambuli. 

He said government has been making passes on him to give false testimony against Muluzi.  “Yes I have been approached by government officials, Police officers, Chikumbutso Mtumodzi and have also met Malawi High Commissioner to South Africa Agrina Mussa,” Mtika told Nyasa Times.” 

"I have been given 7,000 South African Rands to be interviewed by police officers who will come this weekend. I have all the evidence and recordings.” 

He said government has promised to give him K20 million and a house in posh area in Malawi if he gives out an interview to police claiming that Muluzi conspired to kill late Stambuli. 

Mtika also said an amnesty to clear him from all criminal charges has been offered to him.  

“Money or no money, I don’t know anything about the death of Stambuli and I can not implicate Muluzi,” said Mtika.  

President Mutharika is said to have ordered government to offer “incentives” to Mtika to testify in late Stambuli’s death and implicate his main challenger for 2009 presidential polls, Muluzi. 

The strategy is contained in a leaked document of the ruling DPP and was hatched by state broadcaster MBC deputy director Bright Malopa to eliminate Muluzi from the race by any means necessary possibly through trumped up charges.

Meanwhile, The Nation newspaper reported that Police CID officers disclosed their key witness as Taulai Mtika Chiputula. 

Mtika also confirmed with The Nation in a telephone interview, according to the report. 

"Yes, I have been approached but I am yet to make a decision," The Nation quoted Mtika. 

Muluzi has publicly denied any involvement in the death and bemoaned that he was the major loser in Stambuli’s death which greatly affected the kick-off of his bank. 

The UDF presidential candidate accuses government of trying to persecute him by trumping up charges against him since he is the main challenger of President Mutharika in the 2009 polls. 

Muluzi who served Malawi as Head of State from 1994 to 2004 is allowed by the Constitution to seek another term after a break.

Comments (20 posted):

proudmalawian on 27 August, 2008 07:36:08
avatar
Let justice prevail. Let him prove that he is not guilty. This is just an Enquiry, me dont know why you are scared Nyasatimes. The commission findings may not implicate him so why are you scared. Bingu should also set up another one on Dzanjalimodzi and Gen Manken Chigawa/Njoloma. To me there is no reasoon to start crying be4 the findings are out. It is like mukudziwapo kenakake. Another commission of inquiry on aufitor general Henry Kalongonda and former Bingu's press officer Prescot Gonani. Tiwone ngati wina mu DPP salira.
Mwanakho Kambenje on 27 August, 2008 08:12:40
avatar
Mtika is just another semi-illerate person who was involved in shady deals for his daily living while he was in Malawi and he wants to harvest where he didnt plant any seeds.The only person who knows much about the tragic death of Che Kalonga Stambuli is Chikumbutso Mtumodzi---mwana waku Ntcheu, if my memory serves me right.Why are u wasting ur time on implicating Muluzi who doesnt know much about Che Kalonga Stambulis death.Chikumbutso Mtumodzi is the one who has got the key to the sudden death of Stambuli.Amalawi wake up.Ndapita.
Mkwapu Kwapu on 27 August, 2008 09:07:21
avatar
We are talking about a life that was lost here so let justice take its course. Tisamangothawira ku ndale.
Folopence on 27 August, 2008 09:28:10
avatar
Zija zinali mu chikalata zoti timang ma Opposition leaders a Kaliati mumakana sizimenzi. A Tembo munauza a ACB kuti amangidwe kuiwala zanu za Vwaza, a Muluzi ndi amanewa nkhaniya Stambuli yinalambedwamu chikalata chija. MWATCHELA NDI MWEZI NKHANGA ZAONA.
Anthu tonse mumalawi muno tikalembetse kuti tichotse BINGU.
Falakeza on 27 August, 2008 09:38:52
avatar
Nyas Time waht do you mean by "prominent" in your article saying prominent lawyer. Is he prominent because he is a lawyer, or is he prominent because of Tapiwa, or indeed is he prominent because of the Church. As a lawyer we forgot about him, he surfaced recently on Porno issues and the church. Can such a man be trusted?

Bingu has nominated his woman friend a Mrs Malinki who acted as Chief Gomani and there is all the evidence that Bingu appointed him on that basis. his Committe will not do its job well.

Chikumbutso has been to all the home of these people giving them tips of how the president wants him to omplicate and arrest Muluzi if they do not amange to kill him (Muluzi. Fcts are that the last person was Chikumbutso Mtumozdi who was with Stambuli kaya.....
catholic priest on 27 August, 2008 09:53:57
avatar
On moral grounds religious leaders should not accept to be used in this evil way. Bingu rubbished them as mediators, why this one? Is this more important than what they were tasked for? Surely not! Is he going to accept their recommendations because it is to his interest, Bingu is really a devil, son of Lucifer.
seweza on 27 August, 2008 10:32:41
avatar
To me Commission of inquiry is just a waste of tax payers money not put to good use. They will come up with nothing but vague recommendations that will be difficult to implement. It seems the nation knows who is responsible and we just trying to find some evidence to get hold of him. my proposal is to just apprehend him and investigate the issue later. But since the Commission is in place, let it also handle the issue of Chigawa, Matafale, Njoloma and many morre. This will definately save time and money.
Ndakhuta Ndinyenge on 28 August, 2008 05:32:13
avatar
Mtika is a man who was involved in shady deals and yet the government of Malawi is prepared to forgive such a person so as to be the witness in the Stambuli'* death.This reminds me of a story in the bible where chigawenga Baraba was released from prison so that Jesus should be hanged in his stead.Where was Chikumbutso when Stambuli was strangulated?May he please furnish me with this information?
kaka on 28 August, 2008 07:12:08
avatar
Chikumbutsooooooooooooooooooooooo,omalizila kucheza ndi malemu akudziwa kanthu.Kaulule wekha
Catholic devout on 28 August, 2008 07:34:27
avatar
If you are a real priest of the Roman Catholic church you should avoid such remarks. It'* only God who can judge Bingu as a devil. By the way when you are caught philandering against your celibacy vow who judges you as a devil. Let the commission of inquiry do it'* job and the nation know the truth. ABINGU WOYEE!!!!
kambilonjo on 28 August, 2008 08:25:37
avatar
Pay Chikumbutso Mtumodzi to catch Memory One-Head. * rest my case.
nyamamdondo on 28 August, 2008 08:46:11
avatar
As a preamble, the Commission will help to cool down the Chairman whose wife has been and is still in the limelight for her pornographic infedility with Nkungula. He will be kept busy with this useless inquiry. This will make us look, time and again, at the pictures to discredit the Chairman. The best for Modeccai was to turn down the offer since he is still keeping the naked (wokhanyula) wife. First there should be a Commission of Inquiry on what lead Modeccai'* wife pose before the camera having *** with Nkungula. He (Modeccai)could have been involved in the *** business. Why is he still keeping such an infidel? Chinoko has been chosen to silence him on the good work he is doing with CCJP. * remember Chinoko being take out of UModzi Hall at Chancellor College by police for his subversive poem Come Come and Mend (CCAM) in the Chilunga Newsletter. Can there be a commission of inquiry for that Chinoko Peter? Do get involved in this silly thing, Peter. Such silly inquiries should include the behaviour of Stambuli. He was a womaniser and he is well known in the UK between 2000 and 2002 for that. Besides this Bingu should have learnt from how Muluzi flopped on such things trying to get John Zenus Ungapake Tembo. He tried kumpaka izi ndi izi and he told Muluzi ungapake you will not get me. There so many people who die under such circumstances but nothing is done. If Bingu has failed to make political strides in 4 years, should this be the way. Why are we Malawi fond of trying to make gains out of death? Don'* we have other things to to apart from thinking of how one dies? This is the 21st century and we should strive to achieve what our western partners have done instead of going back to the stone ages. We need leaders who can take us forward and MCP having had a bad past can take this country forward and not the Muluzi had done with numerous useless Inquiries and not what Bingu is doing.
Hands Kawoko on 28 August, 2008 08:48:54
avatar
Commission of inquiry was instituted to investigate the death of three ministers and one MP in 1980s, and people saw late Kamuzu, Tembo and Mama Cecilia being arrested. It took time for Ntaba and others to fight for release of Kamuzu who was very old that time and not fit to stand for any trial, but it fall on deaf ears of Muluzi who did not mind about Kamuzu and the MCP gurus. The courts proved otherwise and hence freedom came to the mentioned people. We were watching that time, hoping that him Muluzi will play a saint duty. Now it has come to him and he says that is political witchhunting, why? He has to be queit until the courts will prove if he is innocent. After all, the commission has not said, they have found Muluzi implicated, but it has just been instituted. So why being scared if he is innocent and that he is not concerned? If he is a number loser himself, why to fear the unseen? Kalipokalipo, wa mkota sakandira pachabe garu. Muyeso umene uyesera anzako, nawenso adzakuyesera omwewo, mawu a buku la Mmalembo oyera adatero.
namwali on 28 August, 2008 09:25:58
avatar
This is quite a tricky issue.it seems its more politically oriented.No politician is a saint ndiye lets leave them azingotcherana like that.
thekenya on 28 August, 2008 09:38:11
avatar
this news is nothing to do with muluzi,if u want truth and secrects to be revealed then dont mix it with politics mind u no stone will be upon another stone.
Bwetu wa Binzi on 28 August, 2008 10:01:32
avatar
Nobdy is fooled by this oldest trick by many leaders. We have seen it from Mbeki against Zuma, Obasanjo against his veep,Chiluba against Mwanawasa, Mwanawasa against Chiluba, Mahithir Mohamed against Anwar Ibrahim etc. What is wrong about it is that the politicians take up all our space to settle grudges. Mtumodzi is not the most trustworthy of witnesses becoz of his office and for the country to take instructions from a certified fake is to damn itself into a nation of zombies. Stambuli died in the same way many in this country in that period preferred to depart to their maker via the poison of choice- termic. Stambuli as a big boy could afford better and more potent substances. All you need to do is find out how many people, young and old ended their suffering this way. * recall that J.Malewezi'* own child at Machinjiri took this easy way out. Dr. Dzamalala is in danger of tarnishing himself here becoz this field of medicine is fluid and nothing can be stated with certainty although reson sould prevail. * remember the hullaballo over the death of the Pakistan cricket coach in Jamaica in which cops and local doctors were sure that the South African had been murdered. Dr Dzamalala is faced with a dilemma becoz he only had one body unlike Dr Liomba who had the bodies of MatenjeD,GadamaA,SangalaJS and ChiwangaD and the gruesome wounds visible for miles and what ChimangoLJ called tension in the air. The truth,however, is that Bingu has realised how humiliating, humbling, disgraceful, embarrassing it is to be defeated by Bakili. He would rather lose to J.Tembo but he knows demographically, it is impossible. JT may get the majority control of Parliament but the presidency will go to UDF. This is the stuff for nightmares. One thing for Bingu is that he has read the constitution well and he realises that it does not bar Muluzi so this is the only way to try to stop the unstoppable. Bingu your govt has too many leaks.This is the payback he must live with. All these boys and girls around him are UDF and will remain so. Oh, Mr Mist, what a pity to be the only one who does not know. Mtumodzi is touching you, if you understand this language, in chichewa, akukupondani wawa, you will go chimanja manja, nothing to show for your trouble and no legacy, pepa m'bale ndingolira mayo, mayo mayo.. do you remember the tune, Ryson? Tinali limodzi ku Alliance school Tanzania.
gona mkulawe on 28 August, 2008 10:59:47
avatar
a nyasa times inu you are so biased,most of your stories are against the curent govt.* have never read a story commending govt for a good job. im not trying to say all are lossy wth the govt koma mwaonjeza
Thom Muwa on 28 August, 2008 11:08:08
avatar
You people let commission of enquiry come with the resurts and there after, we see what made Kalonga stambuli. Let alon these people to bring out their findings then we see what step the govt will take.
trinity from chileka on 28 August, 2008 12:04:10
avatar
please give mordecai arest .he should rest from public sight after being in the news for his wife adventere.
on 28 August, 2008 04:39:31
avatar
forget what nkungula did to ur wife mr mordecai msiska-lead this inquiry and implicate all those people invoved-its sad that this whole thing is a politically involved move
Post your comment comment
Please enter the code you see in the image:
  • email Email to a friend
  • print Print version
  • Plain text Plain text
Rate this article
1.75