Malawi Freedom Network 
By Malawi Freedom Network
A Lilongwe motor vehicle mechanic, Dan Nkawihe, is demanding answers and justice after spending four days in police custody over allegations that he was found with tools suspected to be intended for use in burglary.
Nkawihe was reportedly taken to Kawale Police Station at night on September 2, 2026, by members of community policing from Kaliyeka while travelling from Biwi, where he had gone to repair a vehicle, to Chilinde.
But what began as a suspected criminal investigation has now turned into a serious complaint over alleged police conduct, including an allegation that money was demanded for his release on police bail.
According to a complaint letter addressed to several government institutions, including the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Nkawihe is calling for an investigation into Kawale Police officer Thomas Thomson over alleged corrupt conduct.
The complaint alleges that Thomson demanded K500,000 from Nkawihe to secure his release on police bail.
Unable to raise the alleged amount, Nkawihe reportedly remained in custody for several days before managing to raise K200,000 on the morning of September 5.
The allegations raise a fundamental question: If a person is entitled to police bail, can money be demanded from them before they are released?
Even more serious are conflicting accounts over the alleged recovery of burglary tools.
Kawale Police spokesperson Prisca Mtikwa said officers went to Nkawihe’s house and recovered dangerous tools allegedly used to break into houses.
But Nkawihe’s complaint disputes this account, alleging that no police officers went to his house to conduct a search.
That contradiction now places the conduct of the investigation under serious scrutiny.
The controversy is not simply about one man’s four days in custody. It raises broader questions about police accountability, lawful detention, bail procedures and the treatment of ordinary Malawians who come into contact with law enforcement.
When allegations of corruption emerge from within the institution entrusted with protecting citizens, they cannot simply be brushed aside.
Mtwika declined to comment on the allegation that Nkawihe was forced to pay money to secure his release.
National Police spokesperson Gladys Chiwawula also reportedly did not answer calls or respond to messages sent to her second phone number regarding the matter.
There is, however, a significant development.
Independent Complaints Commission (ICC) spokesperson Happy Njalam’mano has confirmed that the commission received the complaint and has launched an investigation.
The investigation will now be expected to establish what happened from the moment Nkawihe was apprehended to the circumstances surrounding his release.
If the allegations are found to be false, the authorities should say so clearly and explain the evidence.
But if the allegations are substantiated, those responsible must face appropriate consequences.
Police authority cannot become a licence for abuse, intimidation or corruption.
For Nkawihe, the demand is straightforward: he wants the truth established and justice served.
The ICC investigation could therefore become an important test of whether complaints against police officers are taken seriously—and whether ordinary Malawians can expect accountability when allegations of misconduct arise within the police service.
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