A senior clergyman was today appealing against the deportation of a "loved and respected" voluntary worker who is being sent to the troubled state of Congo.

Constant Moussavou was detained on Tuesday during a routine appointment with immigration authorities and told he would be deported tomorrow to his home country.

The 33-year-old, who was involved in politics in the African country, has become a valued member of the congregation of St Margaret's Church, in Leicester, as well as a street pastor, since he arrived in the UK in 2003.

He is now facing deportation back to the country – where thousands have been left homeless and many people have been killed during clashes between government and rebel troops.

Canon Barry Naylor, parish priest of the Abbey and Holy Spirit team ministries in Leicester, says several of Mr Moussavou's political colleagues have gone missing since returning to the country.

He said: "The whole region is very unstable. It seems a most unsuitable place to be sending anyone.

"Constant plays a leading role in the life of the church. He sits on the church council and he administers holy communion.

"He has made such a positive contribution and as far as he was concerned, his application for asylum was still in progress."

A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "We only seek to remove people who are in the UK unlawfully after independent courts have agreed they have no further right to remain here.

"We would much rather that failed asylum seekers accepted that fact and left voluntarily.

"Sadly, some people choose not to do so even though they are given every opportunity to leave voluntarily. We then have a duty to enforce the law."