Bushiri’s lawyers arrested for corruption: Hawks

THE Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) has said that detectives were investigating the legal representatives of fugitive leader of the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) Shepherd Bushiri in connection with corruption, intimidation and defeating the ends of justice.

The charges date back to 2018 and are in relation to alleged withdrawal statements from women who had accused Bushiri of rape.

The Hawks said the legal representatives were arrested on March 1 but the matter was not enrolled in court.

“The DPCI has noted the media statement issued by Mr Shepherd Bushiri with concern. As early as 2018, Lieutenant Colonel Mrwebi has been investigating matters relating to Mr Shepherd Bushiri’s lawyers for corruption, defeating the ends of justice and intimidation after receiving purported withdrawal statements from rape victims,” Mogale said.

“After the investigation was completed, the warrants of arrest were obtained from the magistrate’s court and executed on March 1, 2021. The suspects were taken to court but (the case) could not be enrolled.”

On Tuesday, Bushiri said in a statement his attorney in South Africa and legal adviser were both “unlawfully” detained by the Hawks.

“On Monday, with deep shock and sadness, I learnt about how the Hawks, for eight hours, unlawfully detained my instructing attorney and my legal adviser.

“The eight-hour unlawful detention further included an officer from independent private investigation in South Africa,” said Bushiri in a statement issued from Lilongwe, Malawi.

“The said independent private investigator is the one I once hired to investigate extortion and blackmain [blackmail] acts against me.”

Bushiri, wanted in South Africa on charges including fraud and money laundering, said the legal team was later released without charges pressed.

“Court officials (were) left with no option but to release my lawyers from custody under the banner of claiming that the police investigations are incomplete, yet we know they have been investigating since 2017.”