Airforce Commander Major General Robray Ismael says the aircraft that crashed in the Chikangawa forest on Monday 10th June, 2024 killing former Vice President Dr. Saulosi Chilima and eight others, was airworthy having passed its last inspection in March, 2024 and was expected to be inspected again in July, 2024.
Ismael told the adhoc committee that the aircraft had no mechanical fault but it was operating without an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) since 2004.Grenade explosion shocks Dzaleka camp residents
He said the Locator’s batteries have a lifespan of three years meaning that after three years, the batteries must be replaced for new ones, a thing which did not happen.
The Major General said on 1st September, 2006 the Airforce Department submitted a quotation to the government requesting for funding to procure these batteries, but they have received no response till this day.
Social commentator Stanley Onjezani Kenani, writing on his face book has written a food for thought that sometimes this country is being run like a joke observing that the request was made in September, 2006 yet money for the military budget was wasted on corruption.
A concerned citizen of Malawi Mrs. Elizabeth Kaliza Banda of Area 51 in Lilongwe,said issues of military equipment are only going to government but Malawian eyes are on contradictory statements and lies being provided as testimonies to the ongoing investigations surrounding the death of Dr. Saulosi Chilima, and eight others.Kamphangala calls Ad – hock Committee to investigate Chakwera’s Commission of Inquiry
Kaliza Banda said the MCP inquiry report of December, 2024 faulted the pilot Major Flora Selemani Gwirinji for flying the military aircraft with an expired license questioning the Airforce Commander that was the license issue, a contributing factor to the plane to crash in the Chikangawa forest?
She said during the inquiry, former Defence Force Commander General Dr. Paul Velentino Phiri told the adhoc committee that he was informed by the Airforce Commander that the military aircraft never reached Mzuzu questioning Dr. Velentino Phiri that why did he not alerted President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera but allowed him to inform the nation lies that the plane reached Mzuzu?
The citizen has thanked the aircraft manufacturing company of Germany for producing a map which proved Dr. Lazarus Chakwera wrong for telling Malawians lies that the plane reached Mzuzu but failed to land due to the weather condition there.
She said all Malawian eyes will be on President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera’s testimony that who told him that the plane reached Mzuzu saying the whole essence of the fresh investigations will start from there, but as what is ringing in the Malawian ears, lies and contradictory statements, are pointing to one thing, Dr. Saulosi Chilima and eight others, were tragically murdered, evidence is coming from the Chikangawa forest graphic pictures.
