The man shocked the country when he claimed to be the late multi-award winning maskandi artist Khulekani Kwakhe "Mgqumeni" Khumalo, and that he had risen from the dead

THE person claiming to be the late multi-award winning maskandi artist Khulekani Kwakhe "Mgqumeni" Khumalo was yesterday arrested in Nquthu near Newcastle, northern KwaZulu-Natal, on charges of impersonation.

While police spokesman Colonel Vincent Mdunge could not confirm or deny the arrest, Sowetan has it on good authority that the "impersonator" has been arrested.

Mdunge said: "We have been advised not to comment on the matter as investigations are at an advanced stage."

But a police source who is part of the investigating team was firm the man had indeed been arrested.

"He will be charged with impersonation among other charges that he will face," said a source.

The man shocked the country last week when he claimed to be Mgqumeni and that he rose from the dead by the powers of Ekuphakhameni church, a faction of the Shembe church.

The man was playing a guitar, just like Mgqumeni.

Spokesman of the church, Edward Ximba, refused to comment on the matter.

"All the information at our disposal will be given to the police because the matter is under investigation," he said.

The members of the Khumalo family were divided. Some believed he was indeed Mgqumeni, but others disagreed.

Zintombi Khumalo, Mgqumeni's great-grand father, said he was present in 2009 when Mgqumeni was buried and did not believe the man was him.

Mdunge told Sowetan that the man's DNA test results would be released tomorrow.