Two men who claim to be pastors have been locked up at Luchenza police station after they collected money amounting to K300,000 from villagers around Traditional Authority Nanseta in Thyolo district.
Luchenza Police Officer-In-charge, Senior Superintendent Isaiah Mlowoka confirmed to the Malawi News Agency that Pastor Misi Linyama and Associate Pastor, Ferguson Musayi will appear in court soon to answer the charge of obtaining money by force pretence.
According to Mlowoka the two arrived at Traditional Authority Nanseta’s headquarters to inform him that they had come to establish their Ministry in his area called Come to Jesus.
“They told Traditional Authority Nanseta that before they establish their ministry they want to do a corporate social responsibility by distributing 400 bags of fertilizer to 200 people.
“The donation had a condition that all short listed beneficiaries should take part in development projects such as road rehabilitation and reshaping,” he explained.
He added, “Chiefs mobilized their subjects and beneficiaries were identified. During beneficiary identification these two men asked some people to pay 10,000 each if they wanted to be part of the beneficiaries.”
It is reported that at least 30 people paid 10,000 kwacha each to have access to two bags of fertilizer.
“People started clearing bush around roads as a condition for the donation but were surprised that the fertilizer was not forthcoming,” Mlowoka said.
The development made Traditional Authority Nanseta suspicious of the deal and he reported the matter to police.
Mlowoka said police managed to arrest Musayi on 20th October at a guest house in Luchenza where the two have been operating from.
On 3rd October, police managed to arrest the accomplice after they intensified investigations and the two will appear in court soon to answer the charge of obtaining money by false pretence which is contrary to section 319 of the penal code.
According to Mlowoka, police have established that the dual also obtained money at Molere in Thyolo and in Liwonde through the same trick.
Linyama, 32 years hails from Ngasale Village, Traditional Authority Kalembo in Balaka district while Musayi comes from group village January, Senior Chief Chimaliro in Thyolo district.mana
