ACC opens seven investigations from Auditor General's report

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has opened seven investigations arising from the Auditor General's Report on the Accounts of the Republic for the financial year ended December 2025. Speaking at a press briefing, ACC Director General Daphne Chabu said audit queries warrant investigation, but do not automatically imply that an individual has stolen public funds. Mrs Chabu also noted that unresolved audit queries fell from 33 in 2024 to 27 in 2025. The 33 counted paragraphs in the Auditor General's report, and a single paragraph can cover many separate problems. Mrs Chabu also disclosed that the Commission received six cases arising from the Financial Intelligence Centre's report in 2025. The Centre says it passed 786 intelligence reports to investigators that year, most of them on suspected tax crimes. She said one case involving K2 million meant for the school feeding programme had been concluded. It led to the arrest of five people, including the Chama District Education Board Secretary and bank officials, for alleged corrupt practices. ## Background Acting Auditor General Patricia Malaila released the report on 19 October. She said weaknesses in government financial management had caused revenue losses and made public services less effective. The report found that the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development had not collected K626.64 million in penalties from 5,222 mining licence holders. It also found that 125 Ministry of Education officers who received salaries totalling K1.23 million could not be accounted for. An officer missing from a duty station's records is not automatically a ghost worker, and affected ministries are expected to explain or correct such findings. In October, the ACC announced that it had arrested and charged Chama District Education Board Secretary Titus Mbewe, 56. The allegations relate to contracts worth K2,497,115 for maize and dried beans, awarded while he headed education in Mkushi District. The ACC alleges that full payment