On Monday afternoon, 26 November 2001, Evison Matafale was being held at Area 3 Police Station in Lilongwe.
He had been arrested at his home in Chileka, Blantyre, on Saturday, 24 November 2001, while already in poor health and appeared visibly frail.
During his detention, Matafale repeatedly requested to be taken to a medical facility for urgent treatment, but the police refused.
His father arrived at the station and pleaded for him to be allowed to go to a private clinic, but the request was again denied.
The police eventually relented, allowing Matafale to be taken to a public hospital—Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe—but still refused private medical care.
He was transported in a police Land Cruiser, accompanied by two Rastafarians, Natty Prince and Ras David Chikomeni Chirwa, members of a newly formed band preparing to perform with him in Lilongwe.
At KCH, Matafale was wheeled into a consultation room, where the attending doctor recommended admission and close observation.
While admitted, Matafale requested porridge, which was initially brought by Congo Justice but was too hard for him to swallow, prompting arrangements for softer porridge the next morning.
Later that night, he was administered three drips, but his condition worsened dramatically, leading Congo Justice to try cooling him with a wet cloth, although his health continued to deteriorate.
In the early hours of Tuesday, 27 November 2001, Congo Justice returned to Ras Walusako’s home with Matafale’s clothes and delivered the tragic news that Evison Matafale had passed away.
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