The Lingadzi Police report has disclosed that drugs and various beers were discovered in the room where renowned lawyer Raphael Kasambara was found dead. Kasambara passed away yesterday. His elder brother reported the incident to the police at around 1400 hours at Area 47 Sector 5, Damron Lodge.
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. The body was taken to the mortuary for a postmortem, which confirmed that Raphael Kasambara died of heart failure.
Kasambara was from Chijere Village, T/A Timbiri, Nkhatabay.
