Police arrest two over journalist Nomsa’s death
Police in Lilongwe have arrested two people in connection with the death of journalist Nomsa Mkandawire Taulo after an autopsy revealed she was poisoned.
Central West Region Police spokesperson Alfred Chinthere said the two were arrested on separate days between Friday and Tuesday.
In an interview yesterday, he refused to mention the suspects as “investigations were at an early stage and should not be jeopardised”.
However, Chinthere confirmed that the suspects were a man and a woman.
“We anticipate a third arrest anytime and it is a woman,” he said.
Nomsa’s uncle Mylord Jere in an interview on Tuesday said he was summoned by police on the same day as part of the investigations.
He said he was also told about the arrest of Mary Khumbanyiwa, the maid who allegedly prepared the food Nomsa ate minutes before her death.
Nomsa died of respiratory failure due to acute poisoning, according to a post-mortem report dated June 3 2023by forensic pathologist and clinical forensic physician Dr. Charles Dzamalala.
The report says Nomsa fell suddenly ill after eating the food and “she eventually went into the bedroom toilet and collapsed.”
Jere expressed disappointment and shock at his niece’s poisoning in an earlier interview when a preliminary post-mortem report was released.
Nomsa had just arrived in the country from South Sudan for a month long holiday when she the tragedy happened.
She was working with the United Nations Development Programme as a communications specialist.
She previously worked with Malawi Broadcasting Corporation and Save the Children.
