The deacon - named by Ghanaian media as Elder Emmanuel Cudjoe - was kidnapped when an armed gang stormed the Church of Pentecost, robbing the congregation of their valuables at gunpoint.

High Commissioner Charles Owiredu said on X, formerly Twitter, that the deacon - whom he did not name - was freed on Tuesday night, and was now with his family.

He did not give details of how the cleric was freed.

This was the latest in a spate of robberies at churches, mosques and temples in South Africa.

The government has promised to take steps to ensure the safety of worshippers in a country that has one of the highest crime rates in the world.