Chasowa murder inquiry will drag on – Justice Minister

Malawi government will take a long time before engaging foreign investigators to establish how Polytechnic student Robert Chasowa was killed.

Justice and Constitutional Affairsminister Samuel Tembenu has said the government wants to consult the police to find out which areas the foreign investigators would cover.

“Until we are told which critical areas the foreign investigators would cover, we cannot invite them now,” he said.

He said the government cannot use the evidence in the Robert Chasowa commission of inquiry to prosecute the suspects, saying it is “unreliable”.

Chasowa, a fourth year student at the Polytechnic, a constituent college of the University of Malawi was found dead on campus in 2011.

The then poice spokesperson Willie Mwaluka said he committed suicide by jumping from a roof top but hospital examinations showed he was clobbered to death and left at the campus already dead.

The inquiry found high level Democratic Progressive Party officials, including the former regional governor, Noel Masangwi and some police officers responsible for the death.

The DPP led government is dragging its feet to prosecute the suspects.

Police spokesperson James Kadadzera asked for more time to get the information before commenting.