Fountain of Victory battles 'cult' claims after Bishop's arrest in death investigation

The arrest of a senior church leader in connection with the shocking murder of an FDH Bank employee has plunged Fountain of Victory Church International into the centre of a storm, with furious social media users branding the ministry a "cult" and alleging dark secrets lurk behind its walls.

Police in Dowa have arrested Bishop Medram Chirwa of Lilongwe as part of ongoing investigations into the death of 31-year-old FDH Bank employee Tathokoza Salimu, whose bloodied body was discovered inside a parked vehicle last month.

The arrest has triggered a fierce online backlash, with critics launching attacks on the church.

However, supporters of the bishop have rallied to his defence, insisting he remains innocent until proven guilty and warning against what they describe as a dangerous "social media trial".

According to Dowa Police spokesperson Alice Sitima, preliminary investigations, including an analysis of call records, indicate that Bishop Chirwa and the deceased were together on the day of the alleged murder.

Salimu's body was discovered on 21 September 2026 inside a vehicle at Chinkhota Village near Tatolonga Bridge along the Dzaleka-Dowa Boma Road.

Police say passing motorists raised the alarm after spotting a black Subaru Impreza, registration number BZ 21709, abandoned by the roadside with its engine still running.

Officers who responded to the scene found Salimu slumped in the front passenger seat in a pool of blood. She had sustained a wound to the neck.

A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a driver's licence, a smartphone, an FDH Bank teller identification card and other personal documents belonging to the deceased.

Sitima said investigations remain active and police are pursuing other suspects believed to be connected to the case.

The controversy surrounding the church has been intensified by renewed attention on another high-profile case involving the ministry.

Social media users have also been discussing reports that Apostle Joseph Ziba, founder of Fountain of Victory International Ministries, was granted bail by the Blantyre Magistrate's Court after being arrested for allegedly failing to pay K26 million in taxes and penalties linked to his luxury Range Rover.

As outrage and speculation continue to spread online, some voices have urged calm.

Among them is commentator Albert Mwanyongo, who issued a passionate defence of the principle of due process, stressing that his position should not be interpreted as support for Bishop Chirwa.

"A number of people have accused me of taking sides," Mwanyongo wrote. "But I am not defending Bishop Medram Chirwa. I am defending a principle that applies to every human being, the presumption of innocence and the right to due process."

He argued that many social media users had already "investigated, prosecuted, convicted and sentenced" the bishop before police had completed their work.

"The police themselves have said investigations are ongoing. Has the investigation been completed? Have all the facts been established?" he asked.

Mwanyongo noted that the deceased was reportedly a member of the same church and suggested investigators may simply be trying to establish the circumstances surrounding her final movements and communications.

"Does the fact that Bishop Chirwa spoke to her on that day automatically make him guilty?" he asked.

While expressing sorrow over Salimu's death, Mwanyongo warned against allowing emotions and speculation to replace evidence.

"Because a life has been lost, we owe the deceased the truth," he said. "And that truth can only come from a proper and impartial investigation, not from rumours, assumptions and social media speculation."

He concluded by urging Malawians to allow investigators to do their work, mourn the victim with dignity and resist the temptation to convict suspects in the court of public opinion before the legal process has run its course.