Tears for ‘daddy’ Bushiri
Faithful flock to court demanding prophet’s release
TEARS flowed when angry supporters of popular “Prophet” Shepherd Bushiri learnt that their church leader was to spend another two days behind bars.
One supporter of the charismatic Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church leader, with tears streaming down his face, screamed: “I want my daddy”.
Bushiri and his wife Mary were arrested on Friday at their plush Sparkling Waters Resort in Rustenburg in the North West on allegations of fraud and money laundering.
The marked vehicle of the Hawks, who were there to arrest the couple, was mobbed by ECG members, with some spraying it with “anointing oil to cleanse it”.
A crowd of lively ECG members protested outside the court. The usually busy Visagie Street was blocked off to traffic, with police blocking the court entrances.
Unfazed by the massive police presence, the faithful sent a message to law enforcement officials through the Hawks’ vehicle parked near the court entrance.
“We command fire. Major One is innocent. Release him. Holy Ghost fire. Fire,” the animated crowd chanted, gesturing with hands.
Moments later, some took out small bottles of “anointing oil”, believed by his followers to have special supernatural powers, and started spraying the police car. Police intervened and started pushing back the lively crowd.
Emotions ran high outside the court as police officers blocked journalists from entering court premises.
Frustrated journalists ran from one entrance to the other. “No media inside. We are not going to allow you to go in,” police told pleading journalists. Several officers were posted at the court entrances. Some ECG officials were allowed to pass through the media scrum to enter the court.
Moments later it emerged that Bushiri and his wife had appeared in court, and their case was postponed.
Photographers chased a white unmarked police vehicle, a VW Golf GTI, where the prophet’s wife was seated on the back seat.
Bushiri was in the back seat of a Toyota Hilux following behind the Golf. The escorted cars sped away along Visagie Street.
The Department of Justice yesterday sought to deny the blockage of journalists, who sought to cover Bushiri’s first court appearance.
“The department… would like to categorically state that it is untrue that media was refused access to the courtroom during the appearance of prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his co-accused at the Commercial Crime Court today,” said spokesperson Steve Mahlangu.
“Access to (the) court is ordinarily given on first-come, first-served basis depending on availability of space. Our observation is that members of the media were waiting outside to capture the arrival of the accused and the courtroom was already filled to its maximum capacity by the time they wanted to go inside.”
The Hawks moved to rubbish claims of a plot to discredit Bushiri. “These matters (crimes) go back to 2015. It’s an investigation. People must not take this as a personal attack.”
Hawks national spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, who spoke to journalists at the court, said Bushiri’s tribulations centre around the infringement of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
“We are making allegations that there are monies that were used illegally during the transactions of some of the assets that Mr and Mrs Bushiri have,” he said.
The Bushiris were remanded until tomorrow.
“We are looking at issues of money laundering and fraud. We only today got their passports that we had requested from the defence.
“There is still going to be a verification process that needs to be done.”
Bushiri’s church said on Friday: “They took the prophet and our mother prophetess Mary Bushiri in handcuffs to Pretoria.
“They have charged our father with fraud and money laundering.
“As you will remember, from last year, we have struggled with reports that our father was guilty,” the church said at the time.
“We have repeatedly learnt from different media houses that we were under investigation.
“At some point accurate reports pointed out the fact that certain people within the police had demanded bribes amounting up to R10 million.”
At the time, Mulaudzi said in a press statement: “The Hawks’ case against the pair concerns alleged offences of fraud, money laundering, and contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act committed from 2015 in relation to Exchange Control Regulations related to foreign currency in an amount of $1 147 200 (R15.37m).”