Malawi Defence Force (MDF) former commander General Paul Velentino Phiri (retired) has asked the Parliamentary Ad-hoc Committee investigating the June 10 2024 plane crash to summon Inspector General of Police Richard Luhanga to testify.
Phiri, who was recalled to the inquiry yesterday after earlier giving his testimony, told the committee that Luhanga, who at the time of the crash was Commissioner of Police for the Northern Region, could shed light on the search and rescue operation as well as the chain of command within the security sector.
He also recommended that MDF officers who first reached the crash site should testify on how they located the wreckage and what they found when they arrived at the scene where Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others were found dead.
Phiri also dismissed suggestions that the MDF was responsible for shortcomings in the search and rescue operation, saying the force acted in good faith.
Dowa Kasangazi member of Parliament (MP) George Kadzipatike (Malawi Congress Party-MCP) asked Phiri why he felt the need to emphasise that MDF had clean hands in the matter.
In response, Phiri said some accounts of the incident portrayed the MDF as having deliberately caused the crash.
“I need to clear the misconceptions. I did not do that earlier, but I should do it now though I retired,” he said.
Mwanza Central MP Felix Njawala (UTM Party) asked Phiri if he received reports of gunshots at the crash site, referring to an earlier inquiry report and testimony from another witness.
But Phiri said he did not received any report of soldiers firing shots at the site.
“There has been no report about soldiers opening fire in Chikangawa,” he said.
Mulanje North MP Gilbert Khonyongwa (Democratic Progressive Party-DPP) asked whether the MDF was in charge of the search and rescue operation and Phiri responded in affirmative that they had to because it was a military aircraft with a Vice-President on board..
On why he wore military camouflage at the funeral of the fallen Vice-President instead of the ceremonial formal military suits, he said he had reasons for doing so but could not disclose them during the hearing. He asked Nyamilandu to approach him privately to explain his reasons.
Nyamilandu also asked Phiri about his relationship with Chilima before his death and Phiri said it was good and that he had no personal differences with him.
“I never had a problem with him. And I think he never had a problem with me on a personal note,” he said, adding that they were attending the same church and that he had supported a church-building project Chilima led at St Patrick’s Parish in Lilongwe.
Phiri said Chilima’s death affected him deeply because of their social relationship beyond his position as Vice-President.
He observed that the crash occurred as the country was approaching elections, creating what he described as a “wrong picture” and urged caution in drawing conclusions.
