Police in the southern district of Chikwawa on Monday arrested Evangelical Lutheran Church Pastor of Ngabu in place of his wife for allegedly swindling money amounting to MK1.2 million of a village savings loan group in the area.

Ngabu Magistrate Roy Kakutu confirmed of the arrest in an interview with the Press and identified the Pastor as Isaac Siyani.

Kakutu said the pastor has now been released after his church repaid the MK1.2 million.

According to Kakutu, the court ordered for his arrest after it was revealed that the wife has escaped with the said money.

It is said that the Pastor’s wife was a treasurer of Tigwilizane VSL group and she was using part of the money contributed by the members to run her small scale business.

“When time for the members to share the money came, the pastor’s wife runs away, forcing the members to rush to the court,” he said.

Siyani hails from Mlombwa Village, Traditional Authority Chilikumwendo in Dedza district.