Police in Lilongwe yesterday arrested four Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) officials, including immediate-past chief elections officer Andrew Mpesi in connection with allegations of abuse of office and money laundering.
Mpesi, who resigned earlier this year and is serving notice, was arrested alongside director of human resource and administration Yacinto Chikapa, director of finance Khumbo Alfred Phiri and deputy chief elections officer Andrew Kamkwalala.
National Police deputy spokesperson Alfred Chimthere confirmed the arrests, saying the four were being held on allegations bordering on abuse of office and money laundering.
“The four have been arrested on alleged offences bordering on abuse of office and money laundering,” he said.
Lawyers representing some of the suspects said police were yet to formally charge their clients or record their statements.
In an interview, Mpesi’s lawyer Chrispine Ndalama confirmed the arrest, saying his client was initially invited to the Fiscal Police Department before being taken into custody at Lingadzi Police Station in Area 18.
The lawyer said the particulars of the case were not provided, but indicated that the allegations relate to payments such as school fees for Mpesi’s children and expenses incurred during an official trip to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Chikapa’s lawyer Jefferson Luwa also confirmed his client’s arrest, saying police were expected to record his statement today.
MEC director of media and public relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa said police were better placed to provide details.
Mpesi, from Chipokosa Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kalumo in Ntchisi District, was earlier arrested in February this year over allegations of abuse of office in connection with the use of an official vehicle. He was later released on bail after spending two days in custody.
He resigned on May 24 2026, according to a statement issued by MEC chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja and officially stepped down last Friday on August 21 after serving a three-month notice.
Chikapa, 59, is from Ntauchila Village, T/A Likoswe in Chiradzulu District while Phiri, 56, is from Mafuta Village, T/A Kabunduli in Nkhata Bay District and Kamkwalala, 54, comes from Mlotho Village, T/A Mwambo in Zomba District.
