Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church leader Shepherd Bushiri, sitting next to his wife Mary. l DIMPHO MAJA/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA)
The SAPS has called on Malawian self-proclaimed Bishop Shepherd Bushiri to come forward and lodge a formal complaint against members of the police he claims solicited a bribe of R10 million from him and his wife.
Bushiri, who this week continued his tirade against South African government and its people after claiming that the South African Police Services (SAPS) demanded R10 million from him and his wife, has courted controversy over his latest claims.
In a series of social media posts and online publications in Malawi, Bushiri made bold claims about the SAPS and ordinary South Africans saying they were “jealous” of him adding that he and his wife had “left” SA because they felt persecuted after their arrest.
Bushiri, who paints himself as a law-abiding citizen, said he did not pay the bribe, adding that the only reason him and his wife were demanded these bribes, because they were foreigners.
“I just want to say, it’s so heartbreaking. As a man of God, I have forgiven them and their actions. I hope if they are humans that they will apologise over such behaviour. We are here to expose more things and to show them that actually they did all these things because I am a foreigner in South Africa.
“My ministry was growing too big, and this was part of xenophobic jealousy and more other things,” he said.
Bushiri and his wife, who escaped South Africa in 2020, are still seen as fugitives in South Africa where they are facing 13 offences, including forgery, rape and stealing, money laundering, racketeering, failing to comply with bail conditions, failing to comply with requirements of Immigration Act, including contravening it.
Responding to The Star following the latest accusations, SAPS spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, called on the controversial man of the cloth to come forward and report these allegations.
“These are very serious allegations. We call upon Shepherd Bushiri to come forward to open a case of corruption and bribery against those members so we can investigate this case,” she said.
This week, the pair, appeared in a Malawian court on charges relating to the theft of R106 million, purportedly through an entity called Rising Estate, which is alleged to have taken money from congregants under the guise of investing it. No monies were ever paid out to congregants.
Independent Media previously reported that in October 2022, Bushiri and his wife were arrested by SAPS on charges of money laundering.
The news publication added that due to this case, Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera had hired a private jet to smuggle the couple out of the country.
The Star
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