By Rahim Abdul and Durrell Namasani
The Anti-Corruption Bureau’s (ACB) bid to arrest former Finance Minister Simplex Chithyola Banda over the controversial Mega Farms project has been halted after the former minister obtained a court injunction.
The ACB had secured a warrant of arrest from the Lilongwe Magistrate Court on May 8, 2026, accusing Chithyola Banda of abuse of office for allegedly authorising K29.4 billion through a supplementary budget without proper justification during his tenure.
However, the former minister has since obtained an injunction blocking the warrant, effectively preventing the ACB from apprehending him on the allegations. The development marks a significant legal setback for the bureau’s high-profile corruption probe.
Chithyola Banda’s legal team successfully argued before the Lilongwe Chief Resident Magistrate Court that the arrest warrant was procedurally flawed. The court has instead ordered that criminal proceedings against the former minister should commence by way of a court summons.
Lawyer George Jivason Kadzipatike noted that his client is already on bail from a previous arrest and has been fully complying with all conditions.
The ACB spokesperson Jacqueline Ngongonda had earlier confirmed the bureau’s belief that the K29.4 billion Mega Farms funding was approved in violation of public finance management procedures, raising transparency concerns. The project has faced mounting public scrutiny over the handling of government resources.
Despite the injunction, the ACB has reiterated its commitment to pursuing corruption cases without fear or favour. The former minister will now be required to answer the allegations through summons rather than an arrest.
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