South African pathologists drafted in to probe Chikangawa crash amid capacity fears Investigators probing the Chikangawa plane crash have called in two South African forensic pathology experts as the parliamentary inquiry into the disaster enters a critical new phase — amid growing questions over whether Malawi has the expertise to handle the investigation alone. The Ad Hoc Committee investigating the crash has enlisted renowned specialists Dr Robert Gabriel Ngude and Dr Wilson Sibusiso Ntsele to help establish exactly what happened in the tragedy, committee chairperson Walter Nyamilandu revealed in a statement issued this evening. Nyamilandu said preparatory meetings had already taken place with the pair to agree the scope of their work, assess how feasible it is, and draw up a plan for how the investigation will proceed. The initial stage will see the experts poring over post-mortem reports and medical records, hunting for gaps in the evidence and chain-of-custody documentation, and speaking directly with grieving families. Crucially, they will also assess whether Malawi has the capacity to carry out DNA analysis, toxicology testing, radiology and mortuary services to the standard required — a tacit admission that the country’s own forensic infrastructure may not be up to the task of delivering conclusive answers. The committee insisted the grim process would be handled with the utmost sensitivity. ‘The process aims to produce an independent and defensible forensic record that will assist the Committee in establishing facts surrounding the crash,’ the statement read. Officials moved to reassure the public that the investigation would not trample on tradition or faith, vowing: ‘The Committee would like to assure the public that the assignment will fully respect cultural and religious considerations, safeguard the dignity of the bereaved families, and maintain evidential integrity through secure chain-of-custody procedures.’ The move marks a significant escalation in the probe into the crash, which has gripped the nation, as investigators turn to international expertise in a bid to deliver definitive answers to devastated families still waiting for closure — and raises fresh questions about the state of forensic capabilities in the country more broadly.