“WIDOW TELLS PARLIAMENT: ‘HE SAID I MAY NOT COME BACK FROM KOREA’”

Sarah Lapukeni recounts husband’s final days, emotional last conversations, and questions over crash aftermath

29 June 2026

Mrs. Sarah Lapukeni appeared before the Parliamentary Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the 10 June 2024 Chikangawa plane crash that claimed the lives of Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight others, including her husband, Abdul Lapukeni, who served as Deputy Chief of Protocol in the Office of the Vice President.

During her testimony, she described her husband’s final days, raised concerns about the condition of his body after the crash, and appealed for a thorough investigation to establish the full truth behind the tragedy.

Concerns Raised During the Previous Inquiry

Mrs. Lapukeni said that during the previous commission of inquiry, she felt she was discouraged from asking questions. According to her, the chairperson Justice Jabbar Alide advised her in Yao not to ask many questions but instead to accept the situation and remain faithful as a Muslim.

She said she had wanted answers about why her husband’s body was not prepared according to Islamic burial customs, including ritual washing and wrapping it in a white burial shroud (sanda). She also questioned why his body appeared severely emaciated and what happened that made the person become so thin, like just an empty bag saying its condition did not seem consistent with what she expected from the crash.

She appealed for a special investigation into the circumstances surrounding her husband’s body. However, she said she would not consent to an exhumation because of the family’s decision and the passage of time.

His Final Days

Mrs. Lapukeni testified that there was nothing unusual about her husband’s behaviour before his final journey, although he made several statements that later stood out to her.

About two weeks before travelling to Korea, he told her he wanted to clean his office because “tomorrow is not known,” adding that he might not return from the trip. When she asked why he was saying this, he simply replied, “That’s it.”

Before leaving, he entrusted her with his wallet and instructed her to leave it behind because,he said if he returned, it will be a blessing. When she jokingly asked whether he intended to marry a North Korean woman, he responded, “You will know well in the future.”

The late Abdul lapken.

After returning from Korea and before departing for Nkhata Bay, he asked to spend time talking with her late into the night. During the conversation, he gave her instructions to pass certain belongings to specific people.

The following morning, she noticed him looking at her with pity. When she asked why, he again replied, “You will know well in the future.”

He also decided to leave his vehicle at the airport, saying he wanted to protect her. Before leaving, he requested his wallet he had previously left behind and a passport. After she handed them over, he told her those items would become a sign by which she would remember him.

Reflections on His Remarks

Mrs. Lapukeni said her husband never spoke about receiving threats or being pursued by anyone and generally preferred discussing positive things.

However, she recalled that in the months leading up to the crash, her husband often spoke about death. While the couple played bao, a traditional board game, she would sometimes deliberately cheat. In response, he would jokingly tell her, “Cheat for the last time before I die.”

When asked whether she believed he knew his death was approaching, Mrs. Lapukeni said that, based on her faith, she believed he had foreseen his own death.

A committee member suggested that some people might interpret his remarks as evidence of a suicide mission. Mrs. Lapukeni rejected that interpretation, saying she did not believe he intended to take his own life but rather believed, according to her faith, that he had foreseen his own death.

Other Evidence

Mrs. Lapukeni told the committee that her husband began working in the Office of the Vice President in 2019 and had previously worked with former Vice President Everton Chimulilenji. She described him as someone who had good working relationships with everyone.

She confirmed that no member of the Lapukeni family instructed authorities not to conduct an autopsy, explaining that he was buried quickly in accordance with Islamic practice

Mrs. Lapukeni also told the committee that she had read the official accident investigation report and accepted its conclusion that the crash was an accident.

Mrs. Lapukeni added that she was given her husband’s mobile phone after the crash, but it was badly damaged, including the SIM card. However, his passport was not damaged. She also confirmed that she had not visited the crash site at Nthungwa, had only seen photographs, and did not know his email passwords. She further stated that he did not communicate his location during the flight. Of the passport, she said she is ready to avail it to the committee for inspection if required.

Closing Appeal

Concluding her testimony, Mrs. Lapukeni appealed to the committee to establish the full truth surrounding the crash.

I am pleading that justice should be done so that we know what really happened so that as a widow I may then have peace in my heart.