Baghwanji, Kottana’s boyfriend, case fate August 17

The High Court of Malawi is set to rule on August 17 whether four suspects in the murder of 22-year-old Kottana Chidyaonga have a case to answer.

Former boyfriend of Kottana,  Timothy Mtilisanje (28) and Diana Bhagwanji  (23) one of the close friends she was last seen with, are charged with murder offences. Other suspects are 29-year-old Gilbert Kamaliza and his girl friend Ekaree Daniella Chaweza, a local fashion designer.

The four were arrested by Police in Lilongwe in January in connection to the death of Kottana who was reportedly bitten by a venomous snake but a postmortem showed that she died of poisoning.

The case has moved at a snail’s pace but  on Thursday, State prosecutors Steven Kayuni and Rose Mainja paraded the 13th witness,  police officer Blessings Chimaliro who said he received an order from top officials to arrest the four but could not divulge more information on the order.

After cross-examination of the witnesses, Justice Thomson Ligowe ordered the parties to the case to make their final submissions within seven days for his considerations.

He is then expected to rule on whether or not the four have a case to answer on August 17.

Pathologist Charles Dzamalala said Kottana, a graduate of University of Pretoria,  died of poison.

However,  an associate professor at College of Medicine  Steve Kamiza challenged  the Dzamalala autopsy report in the court after he was engaged by lawyers of one of the suspects in the death of Chidyaonga.

Among others, Kamuza argues  Dzamalala did not say whether the purported snake wound did not have snake fangs buried inside.

“That the laboratory tests should not have been deferred due to positive tests of termik substance in the system because positive tests are not uncommon in lab practice,” said Kamiza.

Mtilisanje hails from Mkungula village in Zomba while Kamaliza  and Diana Bhagwanji are from Likoma and Zomba respectively.

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