ACB faces internal fallout after failed Chithyola Banda arrest operation
Fresh cracks have emerged within the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) after Director General Gabriel Chembezi suspended a senior investigations officer over the failed attempt to arrest former Finance Minister and Leader of Opposition Simplex Chithyola Banda.
The suspension of Robert Mkandawire, one of the bureau’s senior officers responsible for investigations and intelligence, underscores growing internal pressure within the country’s anti-graft body following criticism surrounding the controversial operation.
According to a suspension letter seen by this publication, the ACB leadership accuses Mkandawire of mishandling a court-authorized operation carried out on the night of May 8, 2026, which was intended to apprehend Chithyola Banda.
The bureau alleges that Mkandawire led the team assigned to execute the arrest warrant but failed to detain the opposition leader despite reportedly meeting him at his residence during the operation.
The letter further claims that the officer allowed Chithyola Banda to evade arrest and failed to ensure that he was taken into police custody that same night, despite the existence of a valid court-issued warrant.
In what appears to signal escalating frustration within the bureau’s leadership, Chembezi accused the suspended officer of disregarding operational directives and failing to carry out surveillance instructions aimed at locating and apprehending the opposition figure.
The ACB also faults Mkandawire for allegedly failing to compile an official operational report and refusing to issue a public statement after being instructed to do so by senior management.
“The conduct displayed amounts to serious negligence and failure to comply with lawful instructions,” part of the suspension letter reportedly states.
The development has intensified scrutiny of the bureau’s handling of politically sensitive investigations, particularly cases involving senior opposition figures and former Cabinet ministers.
Political observers say the suspension reflects attempts by the ACB leadership to contain reputational damage following the botched arrest operation, which sparked public debate over the bureau’s effectiveness, professionalism, and internal coordination.
The attempted arrest of Chithyola Banda has remained a politically charged issue due to his prominent role in opposition politics and his previous service as Minister of Finance.
Neither Mkandawire nor Chithyola Banda had publicly responded to the allegations by the time of publication.
The latest developments are expected to heighten scrutiny of internal accountability within the ACB, as questions continue to emerge over how one of the country’s most high-profile arrest operations failed despite the involvement of senior investigators and the existence of a court-issued warrant.
