A Lilongwe man has been arrested for allegedly swindling job seekers out of K5.2 million by promising them government jobs and issuing fake employment letters.
Police identified the suspect as 34-year-old Calisto Chikomola, who was arrested on November 3, 2026, during an operation at Kauma in Lilongwe.
Lilongwe Police Deputy Public Relations Officer Sergeant Khumbo Sanyiwa said Chikomola allegedly worked with accomplices who are still at large to lure unsuspecting people with promises of employment in various government departments.
Sanyiwa said the victims were asked to pay money in exchange for government positions and were later given offer letters purportedly issued by different District Commissioners’ offices.
The fraud came to light after the Principal Human Resource Officer at Lilongwe District Commissioner’s Office examined some of the letters and discovered that they were fake. Government had not advertised vacancies for the positions listed in the documents.
“The suspect, together with his accomplices, approached several people and promised to secure them employment in various District Commissioners’ offices in exchange for money,” said Sanyiwa.
Police further revealed that Chikomola allegedly told investigators during interrogation that he had recruited 22 people into different government departments, raising concerns that more job seekers could have been conned.
Police have since launched investigations to track down the remaining suspects and establish the full extent of the alleged recruitment scam.
Chikomola is expected to appear in court soon to answer charges related to the matter. He hails from Kwayitana Village under Traditional Authority Mwambo in Zomba District.
