Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary will spend the
weekend behind bars after their bail application was postponed until Monday.
The couple have previously indicated that they intend to
plead not guilty to charges of fraud and money laundering involving R106
million. They are accused alongside Landiwe Sindani, 37.
While a weekend in jail may not have been part of Major 1’s
plans, the couple were fortunate that the court backtracked on its initial
decision to set the hearing for next Friday, October 30.
The Bushiris pleaded with the court to hold the hearing on
Monday, despite the roll already being taken up with other matters. They
indicated that they would be willing to wait their turn while the court dealt
with the other cases scheduled for that day.
An attempt by the couple’s legal representative to have the
media barred from the proceedings was dismissed by magistrate Thandi Theledi,
who ruled that pictures of the defendants were permitted but that the prosecution
could not be filmed or photographed. Prosecutors had argued that their lives
could be in danger.
Theledi, however, ruled that audio recordings of the
prosecution would be permitted.
The Hawks on Monday summoned the couple for a discussion
about an investment in international property and investment company Rising
Estate, Enlightened Christian Gathering church spokesperson Ephraim Nyondo said
in a statement.
“The Hawks informed lawyers of our leaders, Prophet
Shepherd Bushiri and Prophetess Mary Bushiri, late Monday afternoon that they
are requesting the couple to go to their office by 11am accompanied by their
lawyers to discuss an issue concerning an investment pertaining to a company
called Rising Estate.”
Bushiri handed himself over to police on Tuesday, while his
wife was arrested shortly thereafter.
Despite an affidavit from the Department of Home Affairs,
the status of the Enlightened Christian Gathering church’s first couple’s
residency in the country is still unclear.
The home which they listed as their address on court papers
had been put on the market and they were no longer living there, the court
heard on Wednesday.
The court earlier this week heard that Bushiri, whose
earnings was revealed to be around R500 000 monthly, was considered a flight
risk. The couple originally hail from Malawi and have a number of churches
outside South Africa.
Bushiri also faces a rape charge in an unrelated matter. IOL
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