Police exhume Limbe man as gold mystery deepens

…brother-in-law arrested

A family’s search for answers has intensified after police reopened the grave of a 35-year-old Malawian of Indian origin in Limbe, Blantyre, with investigators now treating his death as murder amid allegations involving missing gold worth billions of kwacha.

The Platform for Investigative Journalism (PIJ) reports that Asif Khan was buried at Limbe Muslim Kabrastan after his family was told he had died from a heart attack on July 6, 2026. However, 13 days later, police exhumed his body after suspicions emerged over the circumstances surrounding his death.

According to a police report seen by PIJ, a postmortem examination conducted by Professor Charles Dzamalala found that Khan died from internal bleeding in the chest caused by blunt force trauma, with fractured ribs also recorded.

PIJ reports that the investigation has since shifted from a suspected natural death to murder, with police identifying Noor Ansari, 31 as a suspect. Police are also investigating whether other people were involved.

Khan, who worked at Sky Electronics in Limbe, left behind his wife Aamina Rafik and three children aged 10, seven and three. His death has raised concern in the Limbe Asian community, where questions have emerged over the circumstances before and after his burial.

According to PIJ, investigators are pursuing allegations that Khan may have been unlawfully detained and assaulted in connection with the disappearance of approximately five kilograms of gold, reportedly linked to an illicit gold trading network and estimated to be worth more than K3 billion.

Police have already arrested Khan’s brother-in-law, Ghulam Mustafa Nooru Ansari, who remains in custody as investigations continue.

Nooru Ansari in police custody

PIJ reports that concerns grew after relatives questioned the speed at which Khan’s burial was organized, with his wife reportedly learning about his death through WhatsApp messages announcing funeral arrangements.

The publication further reports that community leaders secured the cemetery after receiving information about possible attempts to interfere with the grave before police obtained clearance to exhume the body.

The grave was later examined on Sunday, July 19, 2026 and found undisturbed before the exhumation.

Police Commissioner for the Southern Region Lovemore Mwabumba confirmed to PIJ that an autopsy was conducted but said authorities could not provide further details because investigations were still underway.

However, a source told pIJ that an off-the-record conversation with the pathologist immediately after the postmortem suggested the heart showed no signs of disease.

“He told me the man’s heart was intact, the arteries were clear, there was no indication this person suffered from any heart condition, and he definitely did not die of a heart attack,” the source told PIJ. “But he found all the ribs broken, and a lot of internal injuries suggesting there was heavy torture.”

The source further alleged that Khan had been missing for roughly 15 days before his death was reported.

The case has also brought renewed attention to Limbe’s informal gold trade, with investigators examining whether activities linked to gold dealings could be connected to Khan’s death.

PIJ reports that authorities have not confirmed whether the missing gold has been recovered