Police in Mchinji arrested a 24-year-old Linda Munthali on Wednesday for allegedly deserting a one year old baby at a pastor’s house in the district.

Mchinji Police spokesperson, Kaitano Lubrino said when asked, the woman alleged that the pastor for Movement Assembly Church, Rev. Felix Yobe, 52, is the father to the baby.

He said Munthali went to the pastor’s house recently and handed over the baby to the pastor’s wife, claiming she wanted to go and fetch a basket for carrying some tomatoes but she never came back for the baby.

Kaitano said the pastor’s wife reported the matter to the village headman and later to police who advised that the baby be handed over to the District Social Welfare Office.

Meanwhile, the baby has been handed back to the suspect who is under police custody.

Munthali hails from Nkwazi Village in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Mabvere in Mchinji while Rev. Yobe hails from Mwandawala Noah Village, TA Mlonyeni in the same district.