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Shepherd Bushiri has fled the country, despite the bail conditions expressly prohibiting any form of international travel.
Frennie Shivambu, Gallo Images
- The Hawks said they would not provide a “step-by-step” account of their investigation into how Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary left South Africa.
- His lawyer claims that the South African authorities have not yet communicated.
- The district attorney called on Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to account to Parliament for his department’s “abject failure” in the effective management of South Africa’s ports of entry and exit.
The Hawks are secretive about their investigation into how self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary left the country for Malawi, while their attorney Terrance Baloyi claims South African authorities have yet to make contact.
Bushiri, meanwhile, did not skip a beat Sunday and asked his followers to tune in to the “seasonal word of God” by streaming two main services of the Enlightened Christian Encounter online.
The controversial preacher and his wife fled to their home country of Malawi earlier this week, claiming they feared for their lives.
The couple face fraud and money laundering charges related to an investment plan worth more than R102 million.
Earlier this month, the Pretoria Magistrates Court granted the couple a bail of 200,000 rand each and part of the bail conditions prohibiting them from leaving the country. Bushiri, known for his extravagant lifestyle, has yet to face criminal trial.
The Priority Crime Directorate (Hawks) remained silent when contacted for an update on the matter.
Hawks spokesman Col. Katlego Mogale said the couple were to report to the nearest police station on Mondays and Fridays. He did not want to disclose which other departments were involved in the investigation and reiterated that it was ongoing.
The Hawks had previously confirmed in a statement that the couple did not show up to the police station as stated in their bond conditions.
“We are not going to play one shot at a time with this [investigation]”Mogale said.
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa received Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera on Friday.
Ramaphosa said the working visit showed the importance of relations between the two countries, adding that South Africa attaches great importance to maintaining warm and cordial relations with Malawi.
“Built on historic foundations, our bilateral cooperation has grown, deepened and matured. We have concluded successful discussions with His Excellency President Chakwera, in which we review our bilateral cooperation and express satisfaction with the growing ties between our countries.”
The two “took note of the expiration of the cooperation instrument, the Joint Cooperation Commission, which is the mechanism for bilateral commitments between South Africa and Malawi, and we express our desire to elevate the Mechanism to ministerial level.”
Presidential spokesman Tyrone Seale was not available to comment on whether Ramaphosa would implicate Chakwera in the Bushiri escape.
Since then, the Office of the Prosecutor had asked Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to appear before Parliament to account for the “abject failure” of his department in the effective management of South Africa’s ports of entry and exit.
DA deputy Angel Khanyile said the borders were so porous that even wanted fugitives could cross them with ease.
Khanyile questioned how the couple fled the country without passports, considering that their documents were allegedly given to the NPA when they were released on bail.
“The fact that two people wanted for serious crimes managed to flee our country with such ease is a slap in the face to the millions of South African citizens who deserve speedy justice for this crime. Obviously, there is nothing stopping criminals from evading justice in South Africa Africa crossing borders when Internal Affairs has no control over who enters and leaves our country. “
