Unknown assailants in the wee hours of Monday burnt to ashes a motor vehicle, Toyota Vitz, Registration No NB 3899 belonging to Pastor Benford Malopa of Ntcheu Seventh Day Adventist Church, at the pastor’s premises at Ntcheu Boma.

According to Deputy Police Public Relations Officer for Ntcheu Police Station, Hastings Chigalu, the pastor 69 who hails from Chauluka Village in the area of Traditional Authority Njolomole in Ntcheu alerted the police of the incident at about 00:45.

“Police in no time rushed to the scene where they found the vehicle on fire and efforts to put off the fire proved futile as such the vehicle was completely burnt to ashes,” said Chigalu.

He said upon arrival at the scene, the law enforcers found a five liter container which smelled paraffin and a pair of slippers just few metres from the vehicle.

“We suspect that these items belong to the suspect and we will arrest the suspect soon,” he said.

Chigalu said the motive behind the barbaric act is not known.