LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera is deeply saddened by the untimely demise of former seasoned lawyer and Minister of Justice Raphael Kasambara
Kasambara died on Friday, June 7, 2024, from the unknown ailments in area 47 in the capital Lilongwe where he checked in so that he is able to carry out his duties.
The President says Kasambara was a very dedicated public servant and public servant.
“The First Lady and I are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ralph Kasambara SC, a dedicated public servant and a prominent figure in Malawi’s legal fraternity.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time,” mourns the Malawi leader.
Chakwera says Ralph’s contributions to the development of our nation, particularly in the fields of law and justice, will never be forgotten.
“He served our nation with distinction as Minister of Justice and Attorney General. His unwavering commitment to the practice of law and his fight for the rights of the marginalized will always be remembered,” he said.
For the matter of back ground, Kasambara was born on September 22, 1968, and served as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General from April 2012 until 2013. He was fired as Minister and Attorney General President Joyce Banda following the 2013 Malawi Cashgate Scandal.
After which he became the legal representative of the then Malawian vice-president, Joyce Banda.Kasambara was a critic of the administration of Bingu wa Mutharika, being vocal about grounds for impeachment and commenting that “wants to be a dictator”.
He was jailed in February 2012, after thugs went to his office with petrol bombs in an attempted arson plot. He called the police, together with supporters, and restrained the perpetrators Instead, he was arrested for kidnapping and torture of the thugs.
He was later released on bail and then arrested again over the faulty bail procedures. He served as president and chairman of the Malawi Law Society from 2003 to 2004.
In 2016, Kasambara Malawi’s was given a 13-year jail term for conspiracy to murder a civil servant in a crime believed to be linked to a multi-million dollar corruption ring.
Raphael Kasambara was sentenced for his role in the attempted murder of ex-National Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo.
Mr Mphwiyo’s shooting in 2013 exposed Malawi’s worst financial scandal, known as “cashgate.”
Up to $250m (£150m) was estimated to have been lost in the fraud.
The money was lost through allegedly fraudulent payments to businessmen for services that never materialised.
