Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and Wife Arrested for Money Laundery
The South African Controversial Pastor, Prophet Shepherd Bushiri have been arrested in a hotel alongside his wife Mary for money laundering of about R15m.
Early last year, reports emerged that Shepherd Bushiri was sending about R15 million a month to his birth country Malawi. It was said the money was transported out of South Africa to Malawi in his private jet and a few vehicles.
Prophet Shepherd Bushiri is the leader of The Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) Church that is based in Pretoria South Africa.
According to a statement made by Maynard Manyowa the ECG Church External Relations Manage on Shepherd Bushiri official Facebook page he said
“As you will remember, from last year, we have struggled with reports that our father was guilty. He has been detained and is being questioned by the Hawks in Silverton, Pretoria.”
“Police came in the morning to the hotel, picked them up, saying they wanted to talk to them. They wouldn’t tell us exactly why or how. They didn’t take them to as police station, but they took them to the headquarters of the Hawks.”
“We were later made aware that they were members of the Hawks. They took the prophet and our mother, Prophetess Mary Bushiri, in handcuffs to Pretoria,”
However, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi of the Police elite crime-fighting unit The Hawks released a statement saying that the arrest took place at the Lavish Hotel in Rustenburg.
“The Hawks’ case against the pair concerns alleged offences of fraud, money laundering and contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA). The crimes were committed from 2015 in relation to Exchange Control Regulations related to foreign currency in an amount of $1,147,200 (about R15.3m).
“The couple who run several business enterprises in South Africa and abroad are expected to appear before the Pretoria Commercial Crime Court on Monday,” he added.
We will recall that Prophet Shepherd Bushiri appeared before the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CLR Rights Commission) earlier this week.
He appeared before CLR Rights Commision to explain the death of three women who were killed during a stampede at ECG in December 2018.
The commission, however, recommended that ECG should find a suitable venue to accommodate its members following a report by Tshwane municipality that ECG premises did not comply with safety regulations.
But after the two-day hearing, CLR Rights Commission found out that ECG was granted a compliance certificate prior to the service in December 2018.
Pastors like Prophet Ubert Angel who are close to Prophet Shepherd Bushiri have also reacted to his arrest on his Facebook page.
He said “It is MY OPINION that in AFRICA we have learnt to specialise in arresting successful BLACK people more than specialising in ARRESTING POVERTY”