An East London couple are expected to apply for bail on Wednesday after they were arrested for allegedly defrauding the Twelve Apostles’ Church in Christ of almost R7-million.

Zola Maziyana‚ 46‚ and his wife Zukiswa Maziyana‚ 38‚ were arrested on Tuesday morning at their Sunnyridge home in East London.

The couple are charged with 53 counts of fraud and 123 counts of money-laundering.

“The arrest relates to allegations made against the couple involving the money of the church which was used fraudulently and not for the purpose it was meant to be used for‚” police spokesman Captain Stephen Marais said.

“The church approached the police to investigate the matter and after a lengthy investigation police obtained a warrant of arrest and arrested the couple. Police have also obtained an order and attached all the couple’s assets and froze all their bank accounts.”

The matter was being investigated by the East London commercial crimes branch of the Hawks‚ and the couple will appear in the East London Magistrates Court.