By The Forum

The Malawi Police Service (MPS) on Thursday failed to produce former Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Colleen Zamba, in court as expected—one day after her arrest at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) as she prepared to travel to Geneva for her child’s graduation.

Her lawyer, Sylvester Ayuba James, said police prosecutors who were en route to court with Zamba were abruptly instructed to return to the station where she was being held.

“We were told the file was ready and that we would appear before court today to make the necessary applications. We left National Police Headquarters and came to court, only to be told here that the prosecutor had received instructions not to proceed,” James said.

Zamba’s legal team also confirmed that police have obtained a search warrant for her phone, which they have since reviewed.

Following her arrest on Wednesday, National Police Spokesperson Lael Chimtembo said details of the charges would be disclosed later. However, James said Zamba has not been informed of any specific offence.

“She has been detained without police disclosing anything about the detention and arrest,” he said. Her sister, Hope Tionge Zamba, Member of Parliament for Dowa South East, also confirmed the planned trip but said the family has not been told the grounds for the arrest.

While police have yet to offer an explanation, Zamba’s detention has revived debate about her controversial tenure as SPC and the high-profile decisions she made during President Chakwera’s administration.

The arrest has also stirred renewed interest in earlier investigative reporting into her influence in government. Over the past two years, The Investigator Magazine and the Platform for Investigative Journalism (PIJ) published detailed exposés on procurement disputes and internal power struggles involving Zamba.

Although these older investigations have not been linked by police to Wednesday’s arrest, their circulation on social media helps explain why her name remains tied to several contentious episodes.

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