Opposition MP pushes Malawi govt to invite Scotland Yard to investigate Njaunju killers, mysterious fires

An opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) legislator has moved a motion that if passed, the government would be mandated to invite Scotland Yard, the UK state spies to investigate the brutal murder of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director of corporate affairs Issa Njauju and mysterious fires.

Nkhotakota South East member of Parliament (MP) Everson Makowa Mwale (MCP)  wants the government to invite the Scotland Yard to investigate the death of Njaunju and fires at the ministry of Agriculture headquarters at Capital Hill in Lilongwe, the fire at a warehouse of the Malawi Electoral Commission in Lilongwe and the fire at power utility provider Escom.

“This is about serious investigations of serious crimes that have affected the nation,” he said.

The legislator said local law enforcers, the police, have failed to investigate the murder of Njauju who was killed a year ago, the MEC fire two years ago so too the fire at Escom head office in Blantyre three years ago saying it  is only the arsonists or the murderers who would say no to thie proposal.

“Malawians have seen a warehouse of the Malawi Electoral Commission apparently set on fire, but with no answers coming two years down the line.  Malawians have seen the administrative harrow of ESCOM apparently set on fire, but with no plausible explanation provided.  Malawians have seen a beloved and distinguished son of the nation in the name of Issa Njauju, mysteriously and callously murdered but with no answer to the puzzle for over a year now,” said Makowa Mwale.

He continued: “ Malawians have this month seen a mysterious fire break-out at the very seat of government at Capital Hill with no hope that answers will be found.  What all this means Mr Speaker, Sir is that our investigative state organs lack the necessary capacity to carry out high profile investigations.”

Mwale  said the images of fire raging at the minister of Agriculture’s office circulating on social media shocked Malawians as well as development partners.

He said this was no strange for a country to seek help to investigate mysterious crimes.

“Mr Speaker, Sir, it is not strange for any country to seek external help, whenever there is such lack of local capacity. Our National Audit Office has done it, most recently by partnering with external forensic auditors in the infamous cash-gate scam.  We therefore, as a nation do not hesitate to seek help from outside the country, in our quest for wanting to get to the bottom of the long list of mysterious fires and murders.  It has been captured in the substantive motion; we can now seek help on the mentioned three mysterious fires and one mysterious death,” said Mwale.

The legislator said he had in mind the US FBI, the Israel’s Mossad but settled for Scotland Yard because Britain is a former colonial master of Malawi.

Nkhata Bay South South East member of Parliament (MP) Noah Chipeni  said the police in Malawi are failing to do their job well because of political interference.

“Mr Speaker, Sir, our investigating officers cannot do their fine job which they are known to be doing if constantly put on a short political leash. Mr Speaker, Sir, it is not to undermine our investigative institutions when we call upon government to ask for outside help but it is basically to deal with the delays that we have witnessed in these cases.  And again, it is not to accuse our men in uniform of any maladroitness Mr Speaker, Sir, but it is because of delays that we have witnessed,” said Chimpeni.

Mulanje West MP, who is also Minister of Civic Education Patricia Kaliati said the investigations should include powerful politicians killed in one state like Aaron Gadama, Dick Matenje, Twaibu Sangala and Dave Chiwanga as well as former Inspector General of Police Mac William Lunguzi.

“There are so many deaths which happened in Malawi so we should not be selective on which ones to investigate,” she said.

Kasungu Central MP Frank Mwenifumbo said the bill if passed into law would enhance transparency and accountability set of democracy.

“It has taken too long to uncover who killed Njauju. His death was an attack on democracy,” he said.

Mwenifumbo said the coming in of investigative experts from Scotland Yard would solve the jigsaw puzzle of the graves of Yatuta Chisiza and Letanayo Mwahimba from Karonga who were kiled in 1967 after the infamous cabinet crisis but the Kamuzu Banda regime hid where the two were buried.

He said the family, with the support of government, have tried in vain to find out the graves of the two in Zomba, suggesting their bodies might have been fed to crocodiles.