Blantyre, Malawi - Malawi police on Wednesday said that they had detained a suspect in last month's firebombing of a Catholic church during mass, in which 24 people were injured.
Police spokesperson Willie Mwaluka said 26-year-old John Cryton Kagonegone gave himself up at a police station at Lingadzi township in the administrative capital, Lilongwe, on Tuesday.
Mwaluka said the suspect confessed to having committed the crime, but added that investigations were ongoing.
He said: "The motive of the bombing has not been established... and the suspect will appear in court soon to answer to charges of acts intended to do grievous harm."
Man 'remained seated during prayers'
More than 800 people were in the church at the time of the firebombing in mid-July in which 24 people were injured.
A witness, parishioner James Chigogo who sat close to the assailant, said a "young man" stealthily entered the church mid-way through the mass, and sat down with a jerrycan and concealed it in a plastic bag.
He said the man remained seated during prayers after everybody else had knelt down.
Chigogo said: "I then saw a liquid flowing out of the bag to the floor, and when I pointed it out to him, he immediately produced a match from his trouser pocket and lit the bag, which exploded."
According to the church, the assailant fled during the commotion. One of the victims, Blesings Stefano, 22, was this week flown to South Africa for specialised treatment and would undergo six operations.