Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Charles Mhango says he is reviewing a Commission of Inquiry report into the June 10 2024 military plane crash that killed Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others.
The minister said in an interview yesterday that it is only after the review that the new administration can decide on whether there will be need for a fresh investigation or any other action.
Said Mhango: “I have called for the report [Commission of Inquiry] which was initially issued, that will be the starting point. We are reviewing it so that we can determine the way forward, whether there is more that we need to do.
“I have only been in office for two days and this is my third [yesterday]. I have been meeting staff. Yesterday [Tuesday], I gave a few instructions. I have been telling people what to bring to me for my review.”
Mhango’s action follows a statement by President Peter Mutharika during a press briefing in September 2025 that the Minister of Justice, once appointed, will look into issues surrounding the plane crash and “advise government how that should be handled”.
In his reaction to the development, UTM Party president Dalitso Kabambe described the government’s decision as “timely and necessary”, stating that while the initial report provided some findings, key aspects surrounding the events before and after the plane crash in Viphya Plantation remain unclear.
He said in a written response that addressing the perceived gaps and ensuring that all people who acted criminally are held to account, is critical to bringing closure to the bereaved families and the nation at large.
Said Kabambe: “The move reflects an adherence to the principles of justice and public accountability. We commend his commitment to revisit this tragedy through a more exhaustive and impartial process.
“I view this re-examination as a sincere commitment to uncovering the truth, however complex it may be. UTM fully supports a transparent, independent and comprehensive investigation. It is also an opportunity to identify any oversights or inconsistencies.”
Speaking in a separate interview yesterday, Chilima family spokesperson Dr. Ben Chilima said he could not clearly state the family’s reaction because they were not privy to what the minister said or intends to do.
He said: “The circumstances surrounding the death of Saulos Chilima while he was still Vice-President in 2024 raised serious suspicion and caused very painful wounds in our family and the whole nation.”
Ben Mankhamba, speaking on behalf of the family of former first lady Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri who also died in the crash, welcomed the development and called for a comprehensive approach to probing the tragedy.
“I think a 360-degree angle view should be explored whether now or in future to find out the whole truth about the mystery of that plane crash,” he said.
On the other hand, Gladson Chipumphula, who was uncle to Chilima’s aide-de-camp Chisomo Chimaneni, said they will make their position known when the review is completed.
Findings of the inquiry released on December 14 2024 ruled out foul play, but attributed the accident to bad weather and other human factors.
The commission, chaired by High Court of Malawi Judge Jabbar Alide, also said there was no evidence of technical fault of the plane, adding that the aircraft was in good condition and had attained 3 000 hours of flying at the time of the accident.
A final technical report by the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation released on June 7 2025 established that human error was among the contributing factors to the plane crash.
Immediately after the mangled wreck of the ill-fated plane was found, then President Lazarus Chakwera told the nation that all people on board “died instantly on impact” and that findings of investigations would be made public.
Besides Chilima, Dzimbiri and Chimameni, six others were aboard the Malawi Defence Force Dornier 228 MAFT03 from Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe to Mzuzu Airport when it crashed at Nthungwa in Viphya Plantation. The six were Chilima’s guard commander Lucas Kapheni, medical officer Dan Kanyemba, Ministry of Foreign Affairs deputy chief of protocol Abdul Lapukeni, pilot-in-command Colonel Owen Sambalopa, second pilot Major Flora Selemani and aircraft engineer Major Wales Aidin.
Chilima was travelling to Nkhata Bay to attend the burial of former minister of Justice and Attorney General Ralph Kasambara
