South Africa based Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife were arrested by the Hawks on Friday morning in Rustenburg on charges of fraud and money laundering.
The Hawks are South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation which targets organized crime, economic crime, corruption, and other serious crime referred to it by the President or the South African Police Service.
According to Bushiri’s facebook page, the arrest took place at 07:00 at Sparkling Waters Hotel in Rustenburg. Below we reproduce the statement by Bushiri’s media team;
Important Notice: To all children of the Prophet
This morning, around 07:00hrs in the morning armed members of the police stormed Sparkling Waters Hotel in Rustenburg, South Africa. We were later made aware that they were members of the Directorate for Priority Investigations (HAWKS).
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. 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.
This is a matter that is on record and well known.
He has been detained and is being questioned by the HAWKS in Silverton, Pretoria.
We will give you more updates as we go.
We would like to encourage our members to be steadfast in prayer. This morning we were vindicated through the CRL after weeks of being painted wrong. We urge you to remember that this too shall pass.
Below is a statement we have received from the HAWKS
MEDIA STATEMENT
DIRECTORATE FOR PRIORITY CRIME INVESTIGATION
(HAWKS)
TO: ALL MEDIA
DATE: 01 FEBRUARY 2019
HAWKS ARREST PROPHET AND WIFE FOR FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING
PRETORIA – A 35-Year-old prophet and his wife (37), have just been arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation team at a lavish hotel in Rustenburg today.
The Hawks’ case against the pair, concerns alleged offences of 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 in an amount of 1 147 200 USD.
The couple who run several business enterprises in South Africa and abroad are expected to appear before the Pretoria Commercial Crime Court on Monday.
Only two days ago Gauteng community safety MEC (Member of the Executive Council) Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane called for the prosecution of those who removed the bodies of three congregants from Bushiri’s church following a stampede in December last year.
Only today, the CRL Rights Commission ruled that Bushiri was not responsible for the stampede and that the church fully complied with safety regulations.
His supporters believe there is a lot of xenophobia in the way organisations and some authorities in South Africa deal with Bushiri. After the stampede in December, the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) led protests against Bushiri and made calls that he be deported to his native Malawi.
