I am innocent‚ Bushiri tells packed courtroom

Enlightened Christian Gathering Church leader prophet Shepherd Bushiri is “happily married” and not involved in money laundering‚ organised crime or fraud.

That was the thrust of his affidavit‚ read out in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria where he and his wife, Mary, applied for bail on Wednesday.

The couple sat close together in the small courtroom and the gallery was filled with family members.

They looked unfazed as their legal representative‚ advocate Johan Hattingh‚ read from the affidavit.

In it‚ Bushiri said his family was renting property in Midrand. The couple are originally from Malawi but are permanent residents in SA.

Bushiri denied having any involvement in money laundering‚ organised crime and fraud. He said he was happily married and a father of two.

He had handed in his passports and had no previous convictions or warrants of arrest.

In Mary’s affidavit‚ she said that none of “these offences was committed by me”.

She said their two children attended school in Malawi and visited them in the holidays.

State prosecutor Salone Veenemans told the court the state did not oppose bail.

After they were granted bail of R100‚000 each‚ loud cheers were heard as church members celebrated.