Former Minister of Finance, Simplex Chithyola Banda, has strongly dismissed circulating claims that he is evading justice following the issuance of an arrest warrant by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), describing such reports as deliberate misinformation aimed at distorting public perception.
Chithyola
Close associates insist that Chithyola Banda remains calm, reachable, and fully prepared to cooperate with investigative authorities, stressing that he has no intention whatsoever of fleeing or resisting lawful processes.
According to a senior aide, the narrative being pushed in some media circles that the former minister is “on the run” is not only false but also engineered to paint him guilty in the court of public opinion before due process has taken its course.
“To suggest that Hon. Chithyola is on the run is completely misleading. He left Lilongwe on Friday evening for personal and business engagements. At that time, there was no formal communication indicating that a warrant had been issued,” the aide said.
The aide further argued that the timing and manner in which the allegations are being framed raise serious questions about procedure and intent, particularly the suggestion that enforcement action may have been attempted without prior direct engagement.
“If indeed there were movements to execute a warrant at night, that would be highly irregular. Standard practice requires communication and orderly engagement. As of Friday evening, there had been no official notification to him from the ACB,” the aide added.
Chithyola’s camp maintains that he is not new to scrutiny and has previously demonstrated willingness to cooperate with law enforcement institutions when required, including voluntarily presenting himself in earlier matters.
“Hon. Chithyola has nothing to hide. When he was previously required to appear before authorities, he did so without hesitation. That record alone should tell the public that he is not someone who runs from process,” the aide stressed.
The remarks come amid heightened public debate following confirmation by the ACB that it has secured a warrant of arrest against Chithyola Banda over allegations of abuse of office linked to the Mega Farms Project.
ACB spokesperson Jacqueline Ngongonda stated that the former minister is suspected of authorising approximately K29.5 billion in extra-budgetary funding allegedly channelled toward the project without proper justification, with the funds reportedly benefiting the Greenbelt Authority.
The bureau further alleges that the disbursements were made outside established government financial procedures, raising concerns of potential abuse of public office during his tenure as Finance Minister.
However, Chithyola’s allies argue that such allegations are now being amplified in a politically charged environment, warning against what they describe as a growing trend of trying cases in the media before formal legal processes are concluded.
They insist that the former minister will respond appropriately and at the right time, and that attempts to brand him as a fugitive are both premature and unfair.
“This is not a man hiding. This is a man who will present himself when proper engagement is made. The rush to label him as a fugitive is nothing short of reputational sabotage,” the aide concluded.
The development comes just weeks after Chithyola Banda was previously arrested by the Malawi Police Service Fiscal and Fraud Section on separate allegations related to abuse of office and money laundering in connection with the East Bridge fertilizer barter arrangement—charges which he has also contested.
