Ntaba testifies how he saved Mphwiyo’s life:  Malawi  ‘cashgate’ shooting case

Prosecution on Tuesday paraded Dr Hetherwick Ntaba to testify in court in the shooting case of Malawi’s former Ministry of Finance budget director Paul Mphwiyo.

Ntaba: Mphwiyo could have died
Ntaba: Testifies

Mphwiyo was shot on the night of September 13 2013 at the gate of his residence in Lilongwe’s affluent Area 43 residential estate

Ntaba  was called to the hospital on the night of Mphwiyo’s shooting and gave life-saving first aid treatment.

In his testimony, Ntaba demostrated to court how he managed to stabilize the spining gas that gave his patient
difficulties in breathing but he was quick to state that he is yet to establish the assailants .

Ntaba said if he had not inserted a laringostope at the back of Mphwiyo’s throat against struggles and gasps for breath, he would have died.

He also told the court that the entrance wounds of bullets indicated that Mphwiyo was shot three times.

The gun-shot survivor told the court, presided over by Justice Michael Mtambo, that two bullets hit him in the mandible and another went through his shoulder to his chest. One bullet was removed in a South African hospital but two others – lodged in his spinal column – will remain inside the 38-year-old for the rest of his life.

Mphwiyo’s shooting unravelled ‘cashgate’ and the resultant discovery that up to US $30 million was minted from the government payment system, where politicians and businessmen colluded with civil servants for payments for goods and services not rendered to government.

Soon after Mphwiyo’s shooting millions of cash in Malawi kwacha, US dollars and South African rands started pitching up in unlikely places like in car trunks, baby dolls, under beds or in pillow cases.

Hearing continues.

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victim Chamkhuni Lwazazi
victim Chamkhuni Lwazazi
9 years ago

Well done Doc Ntaba. When it comes to saving lives God blesses you. When it comes to politics, surely you never serve Malaians well. And great is your mind for refusing to go and be an ambassador – It would be a waste of medical resource.

Zosautsa
Zosautsa
9 years ago

Judiciary system yanthu its rotten. On moral grounds how would expect one of the accused to the same case, Mr Kasambala, to represent his co-accused in a court of law. Ngati palibe malamulo ake please a chief justice come up with some guidelines otherwise this makes no sense and immoral.

Bob Phiri
Bob Phiri
9 years ago

JB told the nation that she knew the shooters. She must be extradited home to testify. Akuopa chiani kubwelera kumudzi?

mbuyawamamuna
mbuyawamamuna
9 years ago

Munthu koma uyu osati enawa ongothamangira zinthu zoti sangakwanitse

Arthur G.M. Mtambo
9 years ago

NTABA BE BLESSED, NOW GO BACK TO YOUR JOB, LEAVE POLITICES, YOU WILL END UP WITH SORES.

Dr Mtumbo wapsa
Dr Mtumbo wapsa
9 years ago

Unakamusiya kuti afe

wankulu
wankulu
9 years ago

I am troubled with the issue about a bullet lodged in the spinal column that was never removed. A spinal column is part of nervous system, and it is composed of a cord (housed in the spinal canal) with all these nerves sorrounded by bones called vertebras. It runs from the base of the buttocks up to the base of the head-actually the cord itself is a continuation of the brain. Its main function is to transmit sensory and motor messages to and from the brain respectively. Injuries to the spinal cord can cause all sorts of neurological problems. I… Read more »

MMALAWI
MMALAWI
9 years ago
Reply to  wankulu

I totally agree with your line of thinking. Unless he was shot from the back there is no way the bullets would lodge in his spine without causing damage to the ribs and the vital organs they protect. This case can be lost on grounds of technicality where the suspect can easily refute the evidence and challenge Mphyiyo if the suspect was in his car and we all know it’s alleged that he was shot from the driver’s side of his car!

Shimwitwa
Shimwitwa
9 years ago
Reply to  wankulu

Well explained. Only in Malawi

Kalulu
Kalulu
9 years ago
Reply to  wankulu

It appears your are a medic but you have no hands on experience with gunshot injuries. For those with experience they know that bullet tract in a human body is something you cannot start to think how it should happen or will root it should follow, even why it turned/stopped or it didn’t come out. It can lodge anywhere and can cause or not cause any problem. Regarding Ntabas miracle, yes he was board and decisive but there’s nothing special that he did other than protecting mphwiyos air ways with a tube doctors normally use. Intubation is a must for… Read more »

kanchenga.
kanchenga.
9 years ago
Reply to  Kalulu

You’re implying that the bullet can make turns in the body at will and that is not the case. Bullets move by straight force cutting through anything with lesser resistance than the the bullet speed and stops when it meets stronger resistance. So the thinking that it should have damaged other organs is closer to the truth than your own understanding.

Kalulu
Kalulu
9 years ago
Reply to  kanchenga.

You surely haven’t seen a bullet tract, it’s a mystery how it moves once it’s in the body.

Zosautsa
Zosautsa
9 years ago
Reply to  wankulu

You seem to be knowledgeable in the subject matter, I believe you should be the one asking those questions becoz you have expert views on the subject not the journalist. On the other hand you are analysing the story from the theoretical point while your friends (doctors) are doing it from the practical viewpoint. I guess you should first understand the circumstances instead of criticizing something you are ignorant about. No theories here but facts of the matter should be told. The fact remains Mr Mphwiyo was shot at by unknown assailants allegedly Mr Kasambala and company. We cannot question… Read more »

davido
davido
9 years ago
Reply to  wankulu

Wankulu I like your critical sense of mind. However,having had some experience with gunshot chests. I will tell you that sometimes the bullet tracks through the intercostal muscles into the pleural space and then exits. This means that a bullet can be shot from the side and exit without breaking ribs. I know it’s counter intuitive but this happens.

kayamawa
kayamawa
9 years ago

Dr. Ntaba kindly go back to your professional job. You did a good job.

God bless you for your effort.

Chris Banda
9 years ago

Ine poyambilira ndimaona ngati mphwiyo adachekela chipolopolo,adali mtaba etiii!thus beautiful Dr ntaba

Nathaniel
Nathaniel
9 years ago

Tiyeni nazoni zitheka basi.

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