Update: Not a robbery -Police Clarify Biwi Puma Shootout Was An Ambush On Car Thief
Published on February 13, 2026 at 7:19 AM by Evance Kapito
The Malawi Police Service has moved to calm public anxiety following a viral CCTV clip of a shootout at Biwi Puma Filling Station, clarifying that the incident was an undercover operation targeting a notorious car thief rather than a random robbery.
The footage, which surfaced on social media earlier this week, showed armed men in civilian clothing engaging in a high-stakes confrontation with a motorist, sparking fears of rising urban lawlessness.
However, Central West Region Police Spokesperson, Foster Benjamin, clarified today that the “gunmen” in the video were actually officers from the Anti-Motor Vehicle Theft Unit who were acting on a tip-off.
According to Benjamin, the operation was an attempt to apprehend Chimwemwe Banda, a suspect accused of running an elaborate car rental scam.
Banda reportedly rented a vehicle in Blantyre in December 2024 but vanished without returning it to the owner. The police caught up with him at the filling station on Tuesday, February 10, as he was allegedly attempting to rent another vehicle from a different unsuspecting individual.
The viral video captures the moment undercover officers moved in to make the arrest. Sensing danger, Banda jumped into a waiting vehicle belonging to an associate and sped off.
“Our officers attempted to force the vehicle open, but the driver drove off at high speed to evade arrest,” Benjamin explained.
In the ensuing pursuit, police fired at the fleeing car, successfully hitting two of its tyres. Despite the damage, the suspects managed to drive a short distance away. The vehicle was later discovered abandoned in Mchesi, but Banda and his accomplice had already fled the scene on foot.
While the suspect remains at large, the police have officially launched a manhunt for Chimwemwe Banda. The MPS has also thanked the public for their vigilance but urged social media users to seek official clarification before labeling every shooting incident as a robbery, noting that such labels cause “unnecessary panic.”
This clarification comes as a relief to many Lilongwe residents who were rattled by the proximity of the shootout to the recent kidnapping of Crossroads Hotel boss, Sameer Sacranie.
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