Tributes continue pouring in for the late prominent lawyer and former government cabinet minister, Ralph Kasambara.
Kasambara succumbed to high blood pressure on Friday evening in Lilongwe.
His elder brother reported the incident to the police at around 1400 hours at Area 47 Sector 5, Damron Lodge.
In his condolence message, President . Lazarus Chakwera has conveyed his sorrow over the passing of Kasambara saying; Kasambara made significant contributions to the nation’s legal and justice sectors.
“He served our nation with distinction as Justice Minister and Attorney General,” added Chakwera in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Lingadzi Police report in Lilongwe has disclosed that drugs and various beers were discovered in the room where Kasambara was found dead.
The report states that Kasambara’s brother had come to Lilongwe on June 1, 2024, for family business from Blantyre, where he resided.
On the morning of June 2, 2024, he went to Area 47 at Damron Lodge and booked a room, as he was a regular customer who typically stayed for over two weeks.
Kasambara booked room number 5 and informed the manageress, Pemphero Phiri, that his room should be cleaned in the afternoons since he was occupied with office work in the mornings.
On June 6, 2024, at around 1800 hours, Kasambara entered his room and did not emerge. The next day, at around 1400 hours, the manager knocked on his door for cleaning purposes but found it half open with no response.
Upon looking inside, she saw Kasambara lying beside the bed. She immediately informed her superior, who then reported the matter to the police.
Officers from the Malawi Police Headquarters, Central West Region Headquarters, and Lingadzi Police Station, along with Dr. Andrew Mwale from Kamuzu Central Hospital, went to the scene and found various drugs and beers in the room.
According to his brother, Kasambara had a heart condition and was on medication. The scene showed no signs of violence, indicating that Kasambara had moved from the bed to the floor and had placed a pillow under his head.
It appeared he had attempted self-administered first aid, as a wet towel was found on his chest.
Therefore, the body was taken to the mortuary for a postmortem, which confirmed that Raphael Kasambara died of heart failure.
Kasambara, renowned for his sharp legal acumen, gained prominence as Attorney General under Bingu wa Mutharika’s administration.
His influence continued to rise when Joyce Banda appointed him as both Minister of Justice and Attorney General simultaneously.
Kasambara’s career, however, was marred by his involvement in the attempted assassination of Paul Mphwiyo. Mphwiyo narrowly survived a shooting incident at his residence, an attack orchestrated by Pika Manondo and another accomplice, Kumwembe, who were both convicted and are serving prison sentences.
Kasambara, accused of masterminding the plot, was also convicted and served time at Zomba Maximum Prison before being released on bail pending an appeal by then Supreme Court Justice Dunstan Mwaungulu.
Since then, Kasambara retreated from public life, distancing himself from politics, social commentary, and legal practice.
Currently, his body has been taken to Blantyre where family and friends were paying their last respects.
Thereafter, tomorrow, his body will be taken to Nkhatabay, his home district where he will be buried on Monday.
As is customary as a former cabinet Minister, he will be buried with military honours.
Kasambara hailed from Chijere Village, T/A Timbiri, Nkhatabay.
Reported by Chisomo Banda-Lilongwe
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