Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania — Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) bishop, Jerry Mngwanba, has been arraigned in court and charged with misappropriating 64 million Tanzanian shillings from a private car rental company (1 USD = 830shillings).

This is the first time in Tanzania's history that such a high-ranking church leader has appeared in court and accused of swindling such a huge sum of money.

Mngwamba of the Coast and Eastern Diocese, who is also a co-director of the Dar es Salaam-based Jeka Rent-a-Car Travel Services Limited, was committed to the High Court of Tanzania by one of the firm's directors, Anic Kinasha.

Kinasha, through advocate Mabere Marando, has alleged that Mngwamba pocketed the money without the consent of his co-directors sometime last year.

"He took the money contrary to the agreement with fellow directors. When asked to explain how he had spent the money, he said he paid for his office, which is against the company regulations," said an affidavit filed by Marando before the High Court Monday.

"Because of Mngwamba's extravagant behaviour, the company is now at the threshold of bankruptcy," said Marando in the sworn affidavit.

The accused cleric is also alleged to have embezzled 14,000 US dollars entrusted to him by a customer of Jeka Rent-a-Car Travel Services Ltd., who wanted to order vehicles through the company.

Besides embezzlement, Mngwamba is also accused of being in the habit of ordering cheap second hand vehicles and using the remainder of the money given to him, for his "own luxurious" dealings."

"We have discovered his cunning behaviour, that is why we have brought this case before this court. We want to make sure that if the company becomes bankrupt, it should be closed legally and the court should choose the liquidator and prosecute him as a thief," advocate Marando said.

Cases eroding the moral authority of church leaders in Tanzania are now on the increase.

Last year, a bishop of the Pentecostal church in Dar es Salaam was jailed for five years for raping some of his followers.