Shepherd Bushiri

Service / Career

In 2021, his net worth was estimated to be US$150 million. ^[1]

His possessions reportedly include private jets, luxury cars and various properties.

Businesses

• Shepherd Bushiri Investments (Pty) Ltd: this is an investment company based in Sandton, South Africa with interests in mining, real estate, an airline and other entrepreneurial pursuits. ^[2]

Calling

Bushiri claims he had a spiritual encounter with a supernatural power at the age of 10 that led him to devote his life to the service of God. He founded his church in 2010 in Malawi before moving its headquarters to the South African capital, Pretoria. ^[1]

Events

Visit by Kembo Mohadi

In November 2016, he was visited by Kembo Mohadi.

Botswana Shuts Down Church

In 2018, Botswana shut down Bushiri church in the country reportedly due to concerns over so-called "miracle money". Before the church's closure in 2018, Bushiri had been declared persona non grata in May 2017.
ECG Church officials in Botswana appealed the decision. The outcome of the appeal is unknown. ^[4][5]

2019 Arrest

On 1 February 2019, Bushiri and his wife were arrested at a hotel in Rustenburg, in the North West, by the Hawks for fraud, money laundering and contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA), committed from 2015, in relation to Exchange Control Regulations related to foreign currency.

The Hawks said the arrest followed an investigation that was launched in 2018. The Bushiris appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria on charges of money laundering and fraud. The matter was postponed to 6 February 2019. Then, the couple was granted R100 000 bail each. On 9 May 2019, the Bushiris appeared before the Pretoria Commercial Crime Court and their case was postponed due to security concerns.

Then Hawks spokesperson, Hangwani Mulaudzi, said the move was to avoid commotion outside the court, especially since South Africa was still preparing for the general elections.

Bushiri urged his followers to vote after some of them threatened to boycott the elections because of his arrest.

Bushiri's trial started on 27 July 2020. The State asked for a postponement citing COVID-19 as the reason. The State said that some witnesses were in isolation, including an investigating officer, who was supposed to take the stand. However, Bushiri’s legal team opposed the state’s application, arguing that their clients were entitled to a speedy trial. They also argued that prolonged postponements were in violation of the Bushiris' constitutional rights. Following arguments from both sides, the court granted a pre-trial conference to be held on 16 October 2020. The court said it had taken into consideration the state’s reasoning regarding the application for postponement, as well as the defence’s argument opposing the application.^[6]

Fraud & Money Laundering

On 21 October 2020, Bushiri handed himself over to the police station in Silverton, Pretoria. Reports say his wife was arrested the previous day at the couple’s Sandton residence in Johannesburg. The couple is accused of fraud and money laundering totalling R102 million, along with two other suspects who were arrested in Johannesburg. The other suspects are Landiwe Ntlokwana, Willah Mudolo, and Zethu Mudolo. The case is different to the one the couple was already on trial for, but it is on the same charges. ^[6]

The Bushiris were released on bail after being charged with fraud and money laundering. Crime investigators say the case involves 102 million South Africa rand. Bushiri and his wife appeared at Pretoria's Magistrates Court on 21 October 2020 to hear the charges and was granted bail on 4 November 2020. Despite the fact that the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court initially regarded the Bushiris a flight risk, they were granted R200 000 bail each on condition that they hand in their passports and report to the nearest police station every Monday and Friday.

The trial was expected to start in May 2021. The South African government said it had initiated the process to secure the extradition of the Bushiris in terms of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Extradition and other legal instruments, which Malawi is a signatory. ^[7][6]

Escape from South Africa

On 14 November 2020, Bushiri and his wife broke their bail conditions and fled to Malawi. In a televised statement, Bushiri said they had left South Africa for security reasons, claiming their lives were in danger. He also outlined a number of conditions that needed to be met by the South African government before their return for trial, accusing those investigating them of bias and saying they should be charged.

It remains unknown how the Bushiris managed to flee undetected. The escape coincided with a visit by Malawian President Lazurus Chakwera to South Africa where he met his counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa.

The departure of Chakwera and his entourage from an airport near Pretoria was delayed for hours after stringent checks by security forces. Both Bushiri and the two countries denied that the preacher escaped through the plane which carried the Malawian officials.

South African authorities confiscated the Bushiris’ $355,000 property for violating their bail conditions and failing to report to the South African police.^[1]

Miracles

Bushiri says he has cured people of HIV, made the blind see, changed the fortunes of the impoverished and, on at least one occasion, appeared to walk on air. ^[7]

Further Reading

References

Shepherd Huxley Bushiri .

|description= Shepherd Huxley Bushiri also known as Major 1 is a Malawian preacher and businessman. He is the founder and leader of Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church. Bushiri and his wife Mary are wanted by South Africa on money laundering, theft and fraud