Malawi parliamentary committee hears witness testimony on Chilima plane crash

A witness, Ephraim Duma, provided controversial testimony to Parliament’s Ad-hoc Committee investigating the June 10, 2024, military plane crash that killed Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others.

Duma claimed to have seen the aircraft in the Viphya Plantation, alleging that Chilima, dressed in a black suit and red tie, stood at the aircraft door calling for help before being pulled back inside by an unknown force. Duma further alleged that he encountered foreign militia members near the crash site and claimed he survived an encounter with soldiers due to spiritual “body fortification” that made him immune to bullets.

During cross-examination, Duma’s testimony faced significant scrutiny from committee members. He admitted he could not definitively identify the figure as Chilima and noted that his belief that the plane was on fire was an assumption rather than a direct observation. Members of Parliament questioned the scientific possibility of the aircraft stopping mid-air, noting that such claims contradict existing evidence from aircraft accident investigators.